


Madness To My Methods

by poprockshawty



Series: The Guiding Light [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Assassination Attempt(s), Cheating, EXO Big Bang Round 1, F/M, Immortality, Loyalty, Slow Burn, Smut, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:47:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 41
Words: 104,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24198442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poprockshawty/pseuds/poprockshawty
Summary: Chanyeol is a King who is in a marriage without love. Yifan is a Prince who is in love without marriage. Baekhyun, however, is determined to have the best of both worlds, even if he has to wait a thousand years for it.written for the EXO Big Bang Event
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Ji Hyeran | Z.Hera, Park Chanyeol/Original Female Character(s), Wu Yi Fan | Kris/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Guiding Light [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/961329
Comments: 105
Kudos: 34
Collections: EXO Big Bang Writing Event





	1. You Can Call Me Monster

“Your Majesty?”

King Chanyeol looked up and shot a lazy glance at the eunuch who had something to say, but his hands stayed on the gayageum, his fingertips continuing to pluck at the strings that produced beautiful melodies that he loved.

“Lord Baekhyun has arrived,” the eunuch reported, keeping his head bowed.

“Ah, nice. Send him in,” Chanyeol replied blithely, continuing to play until that segment of the song had ended.

Baekhyun strode into the room with an air of confidence, his own unique aura that posed no threat to the King’s majesty. Politely, he followed the rules and bowed at the King. Even though he was the King’s best friend, rules were rules and they existed for a reason.

“Baekhyun! Come here, sit with me. I’ve been expecting you. I’d just been composing some music of my own,” Chanyeol revealed merrily, a boyish smile upon his face.

“I’m glad to hear that,” said Baekhyun. “Although I doubt your advisors will be pleased to see that Your Majesty is not attending to affairs of state.”

“What, I’m the King. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want,” Chanyeol drawled. “Who cares what those old men think? I’m in my mid-twenties unlike them, and I’m supposed to be enjoying life. Besides, you of all people should know that I love music and dislike politics. I know, there are a lot of reports from governors of many parts of the country that are waiting for me to read. But I have zero motivation to get to them because even after reading one pile of reports there will just be another, and another after that, and so on. It’s never going to end!” He complained. “There’s so much to read and within the hour I’m surely going to fall asleep on the desk. And end up with back pain and a stiff neck.”

Baekhyun chuckled. “It doesn’t always have to be about boring duties, though. There’s a feast tonight, right?”

“Yes. The ambassador from China will be joining us. So it’s going to be a lavish banquet. We ought to show China how affluent our country is, especially under my reign.”

“I heard that the ambassador is the younger half-brother of the Crown Prince of China,” replied Baekhyun. “And that he’s here to negotiate a peace treaty and make economic pacts with us.”

“Indeed. I expect he’ll also propose a political marriage,” Chanyeol stated. “I reckon my cousin, Princess Jiwon, will make a good match with the Crown Prince of China.”

“The Crown Prince? Isn’t he twice Her Highness’ age, though?”

“True, but he’s going to be the future emperor, and it would only be befitting for my cousin to be nothing less than an Empress,” Chanyeol explained.

“I see.”

“I’m serious about the alliance between our kingdom and China. But if we’re going to make this work, they have to show their earnestness as well. If the ambassador is eager to demonstrate his sincerity then he ought to bring beauties from China and offer them to me, but so far he has yet to do so,” Chanyeol added, with a slight hint of dissatisfaction.

Baekhyun laughed. “I thought you’d expanded your harem just last month. Or have you lost interest in Concubine Lim already?”

Chanyeol scoffed. “I’ve never been this frustrated with any woman before!”

“Oh, no,” Baekhyun replied amidst giggles. “What could she possibly have done with Your Majesty?”

“That’s the thing! We haven’t done anything! At all!” Chanyeol protested as if the concubine in question had offended all of his ancestors.

“Do enlighten me on your suffering, Majesty.”

“Well!” He frowned and licked his lips as he tried to find the words to say. “She would not...she would not have me!”

Baekhyun raised his eyebrows.

“I mean she…” Chanyeol paused and gritted his teeth. “I mean to say that she is unwilling to let me bed her!”

Baekhyun broke into laughter, which only made Chanyeol huff in frustration.

“How dare you make fun of my misery!” The King groused. “She is so unlike all the other women in my harem and I cannot understand why she is the way she is. If I were just after a night of pleasure, I could easily have spent the night with _any_ of my women. But I can’t stop thinking about _her_. Her pretty face, her tempting figure, her dazzling smile...and her coyness! The more she holds back and denies me, the more I desire her! I swear, I’m losing my mind...what if I go insane someday? Baekhyun, what should I do? This is affecting me too much…”

“Unfortunately, Majesty, I am unable to offer any advice on this matter,” Baekhyun replied lightheartedly, with a shrug.

“Right!” Chanyeol sounded as if something in his mind had clicked. He even sat up straight when realization hit him. “Because you’re not married! Haven’t you made any plans for yourself?”

“I don’t think I will have the privilege of having a harem of more than a hundred women like Your Majesty does,” said Baekhyun jokingly.

“Naturally, but surely you’d be in want of a wife? You’re way past marriageable age; I don’t see why you should be missing out. Especially a nobleman of _your_ station and importance.”

“Well, I —”

“Say no more,” Chanyeol cut in. “If there’s anyone you want to marry, just tell me, and I will give my permission and blessing,” he offered with utmost confidence.

Baekhyun was slightly surprised, but smiled in appreciation nevertheless. “Your Majesty is very generous.”

“Of course. You’re my best friend after all,” said Chanyeol proudly, patting Baekhyun on the back. “You have to think about it and let me know, alright?”

Baekhyun nodded and grinned. “Alright.”

“Good! See you at dinner tonight!”

* * *

On his way out, Baekhyun strode casually, in no hurry to return to his own quarters to get himself ready for the big occasion tonight. He was accustomed to attending the lavish feasts at the royal court, so he was not the least bit stressed out.

As he trod the paths that led from the King’s study to his own quarters, he had to pass by many buildings and halls that served various functions. As usual there were eunuchs, guards, and other servants passing by, appearing to be doing their duties but probably half of them, he bet, were secretly spies, working for other courtiers. After all, what was a royal court without moles, schemes, and backstabbing?

Baekhyun was comfortable with all of it, though. Being a monster himself, part of his existence involved mingling with all other supernatural species: angels, demons, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, sirens, witches and warlocks, and a lot more. Monsters like Baekhyun specialized in manipulation, collecting and exchanging information at their ease. They had connections left, right, and center, and could receive news much more quickly than any other species could. They owned the biggest database on all sorts of information on the supernatural that one could possibly look for.

Monsters also looked identical to normal humans, so nobody would suspect a thing. Not even Chanyeol had a single clue that his best friend was an immortal creature who had been living on this earth for an unimaginably long time. And Baekhyun preferred to keep it that way. They were able to grow up together and become friends since childhood because monsters had the ability to manipulate how old they looked — at will, Baekhyun could choose to turn into a wailing infant or a frail old man with wrinkled skin. Most of them just chose to be young and beautiful, and Baekhyun was no exception.

While nobody knew that he was not human, _he_ was aware that he was not the only non-human at the royal court. One of the King’s concubines — in fact, the very lady that Chanyeol had been complaining about just now — Concubine Lim, was also a monster. She and Baekhyun had been friends for a long time. Baekhyun knew her well and was not the least bit surprised that she would toy with Chanyeol and have him wrapped around her finger.

There was also someone else — a witch, here in the palace. Baekhyun had only found out about it very recently. Having been alive for so long, there was not much that could surprise Baekhyun anymore at this point. And yet, when he found out that the girl he liked was actually a witch…

As Baekhyun’s thoughts wandered, so did he. He did not even realize that he had been taking a longer route, but perhaps it was his subconscious mind that guided him to take this route instead. This way he would be nearer to the Queen’s quarters, and just as expected it would be easy for him to run into the Queen’s handmaidens who were frequently seen running errands for Her Majesty.

“Hera!” Baekhyun called out, not too loudly but he was resolved to draw her attention. He picked up the pace, jogging to catch up with her.

“My lord,” said Hera politely as she bowed at the nobleman. Her attitude was so neutral; there was no excitement, no joy, not even annoyance. It was as if she felt _nothing_ toward Baekhyun. But Baekhyun was smiling widely, always his happiest self whenever he got to see Hera.

“Hera, will I have the honor of seeing you at the banquet tonight?” He asked. Knowing that Hera was one of the Queen’s closest attendants, it was likely that Hera would be there with the Queen should Her Majesty be present at the occasion.

“I’m afraid not,” she answered. “The Queen is ill and will be staying in her quarters. I will be attending Her Majesty.”

“Ah…” Baekhyun could not help but be a little sad that he would not get the chance to see Hera tonight. Just being in the same room as her would make him very happy, even if they might not even get to interact, even if she might not even look at him. “Then, please send my regards to Her Majesty, and I pray that she recovers quickly.”

“I will.”

“Also,” he added urgently. “Don’t overwork yourself whilst attending Her Majesty. I will be sad if you are unwell too.”

She nodded. “Thank you for Your Lordship’s concern.”

She bowed again, to excuse herself, but Baekhyun abruptly blurted, “wait!” He licked his lips tensely, much like a nervous teenager not knowing how to behave in front of his crush. “The King told me something just now. He said if I should want to get married, he wi—”

“Pardon me, my lord,” Hera interrupted not rudely but definitely firmly. “It is not my place to know about a conversation between the King and his best friend.”

Baekhyun gulped. “But…”

“The palace is a dangerous place, my lord,” Hera explained. “Sometimes I reckon the less I know, the safer I am.”

Baekhyun was at a loss for words. _Knowledge is power; isn’t that how the saying goes? For such a long time, we monsters have been building our power and strength upon knowledge as well. But how come Hera would think the opposite? This is strange_ , he thought to himself.

“I should return to my post. I’m sure Her Majesty is waiting for me,” Hera announced. “Good day, my lord.”

* * *

At the feast that evening, the Queen’s absence was very much noticeable. In fact, it was impossible to ignore, when Concubine Lim — the King’s new favorite and ironically the one who still had not yet had any sexual contact with the King — had been arranged to sit right next to the King. This was against decorum and not even the Queen would be allowed to do this, and yet here Chanyeol was, breaking all the rules for the one woman that he was completely besotted with.

Throughout the banquet, everybody watched as she fed sliced fruits into Chanyeol’s mouth. The couple acted as if they were the only ones in the room, and had no care for anything else in the world. He held her by her waist and kept wanting her to sit closer to him, but if she got any closer she would practically be on his lap already.

The courtiers disapproved of this degree of intimacy in their interactions, of course, but deep down they were also curious as to what the King and his favorite concubine were talking about as they kept whispering in each other’s ears and giggling.

“Seojung-ah,” said Chanyeol, affectionately addressing her by her name instead of sticking to titles as everybody else did. “Don’t you know what you do to me?”

Playfully, she leaned back a little as if she wanted to put some distance between the two of them. But he had an arm around her waist and he was holding her even more firmly once he caught her intention to so much as scoot an inch away. She smiled coyly at him — or was that a smirk?

“I’m afraid I don’t know what Your Majesty is talking about,” she lied, turning away shyly once he reached out in an attempt to gently lift and tickle her chin with his free hand.

“No, don’t play with me,” he demanded, with a whine. “Deceiving the King is punishable by death.”

“I’ve done nothing of that sort,” she purred, mischievously pushing him away, but having her hand on his chest did nothing to quench his thirst for her.

“I can’t understand why you won’t just give in and give yourself to me.” He sounded almost as if he was pleading, but he was the _King_ and should not ever feel the need to be in a position to be pleading or begging anyone for anything. With Seojung, though, he was defenseless and powerless and completely, hopelessly enamored. “I don’t know why you must seduce me but only to deny me in the end,” he went on. “I do wish this boring banquet would end already. So I could bring you to my bedchambers and we’ll spend the night much more interestingly.”

“Oh, but I quite enjoy the feast, my King,” said Seojung, chuckling as she reached for her goblet to get a taste of the finest wine here at the royal court. “And we’re only just getting started, Majesty.”


	2. The Night Is Young

The feast proceeded as usual, and when it was time for each course to be served, the servants delivered the food to the guests, careful not to make any mistakes.

However there was only one servant in the palace who was allowed to bring the King his food: the highest-ranking maid in the kitchen department, Jeon Taehee. Everybody else was deemed unworthy of personally delivering meals to the King. Everyone at the palace referred to her as Court Lady Jeon. It basically meant that she was the head maid of the kitchens, and her duties included overseeing the food supplies and allocation to each household within the palace. This included the royal family and the massive harem that Chanyeol had, as well as all the other courtiers and servants who lived at court. Not to mention the ambassador from China and his retinue. There were a lot of employees under Taehee’s supervision, not just the cooks but also those who were in charge of sorting the food and beverages by quality so that these supplies would be assigned and distributed to each household accordingly. On top of that, she had to ensure that the portions were done right, that the cooks and servants started preparing the dishes neither too soon nor too late, and a lot of other matters to take care of. It was certainly no easy job, especially when she never enjoyed having to interact with the King even though it was her responsibility to bring his meals to him every single day, not just when there was a special occasion.

Holding the tray firmly in both hands, Taehee made her way from the entrance of the hall to the very end of the corridor where the King’s elevated seat was. She had done this many times before, and she most certainly knew what she was doing. But this was the first time she had witnessed the King publicly, shamelessly displaying affection toward Concubine Lim. Taehee reckoned that they were in public and should keep certain codes of conduct in mind. As the King, Chanyeol should be setting a good example, but obviously he did not seem to think so. Taehee disapproved of his actions and although she did not have the guts to openly criticize him, a frown still stayed on her face.

She attempted to shield that discomfort every time she was in the King’s line of vision. But the more she tried, the more it seemed to backfire on her. Not only did it not draw attention _away_ from her, it seemed the King became more and more determined to engage her in conversation or in fact any sort of interaction. He had so many questions. How was each dish made? Where were the ingredients imported from? Which part of a fish did this come from?

Taehee’s frustration grew, but she had to suppress it at all costs. Not for a single moment would she be allowed to forget that should she show the slightest sign of disrespect toward the King, she could lose her head. So she answered all his questions, and then his follow-up questions, to his satisfaction. She simply had no choice but to do so.

“The kitchen staff spent a lot of time on it. Each and every single one of them has made every effort to please their King. They will be very happy to hear that Your Majesty likes the food,” said Taehee, practically forcing herself to keep calm.

Chanyeol guffawed. “And you?” He asked, smirking. It was as if he knew the effect that he had on her and how it made her feel, but it was so amusing to see that she could not show any of it. “Do you want to please your King too?”

Taehee was so done. She merely looked stoic and bowed, as she placed the relevant plates and bowls onto Chanyeol’s table. She was just doing her job and minding her own business. She wanted to be left alone and yet the King was being an annoying little shit. He was aiming to humiliate her for sure, but she did not want to give him that satisfaction.

“I asked you a question, Jeon Taehee,” Chanyeol reiterated, keeping his eyes locked on Taehee. She felt awfully uncomfortable, and absolutely loathed that she had become the center of his attention. He was originally absorbed in conversing and practically cuddling with Concubine Lim, but now that it was time to eat — and solely because of that — the concubine was at a proper distance from the King. Taehee just wanted to be as far away from the King as possible. But there was no escape for her. He did ask her a question, and she must answer it to the best of her knowledge. She was still a servant and the King’s subject, after all.

“I do my best to make sure the departments under my supervision are operating as they should, and that everything under my control is in order. I'm sure if Your Majesty wants an answer to that question, you need only to evaluate how well I do my job. After all, action speaks louder than words,” she replied, and would have had her head held high if she were not so utterly reluctant to even look at Chanyeol. Ew.

Chanyeol snorted at her response. Then he chortled, and she could not figure out what in the world he wanted from her. Perhaps he never truly cared about the answers she gave to his endless questions. He only wanted to make her uncomfortable and she reckoned that he had most certainly accomplished that.

“Well then, thank you for your service, Jeon Taehee,” he said casually, picking up his newly refilled goblet and drinking from it.

Taehee was finally allowed to excuse herself, and it seemed she wanted this feast to end just as much as the King did, albeit for different reasons. Very different reasons.

Once the banquet did finally end, everybody returned to their own quarters and retired for the night. Carriages were also arranged for those who needed some form of transport to get back to their respective residences.

“Finally,” said Chanyeol to Seojung eagerly, as the guests dispersed in a rather orderly fashion. “I have you all to myself,” he whispered in her ear. If he had just a little bit less self-control he would be kissing her earlobe and her neck already. “Fuck, you smell so good.”

Seojung gasped, in complete playfulness and not at all in shock. “Majesty! How could such foul language spill from your mouth!” She pretended to reprimand him, and she was the only one at his court who would dare do it, just because she knew how whipped for her he was. She could probably get away with any misbehavior. “Don’t tell me you’re going to k—”

“Don’t tell you what?” He pressed on, eyeing her even more lewdly now. “That I’m going to kiss you with that mouth? Oh, yes, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

“Ah,” she whined, resisting his advances and acting as if she were looking away in reluctance.

“Tonight,” he continued to whisper even though there was no one else around, because it would be more sensual that way, and because he wanted to be as close to her as possible. “I will send a palanquin that will take you from your chambers to mine. I want you to spend the night with me,” he explained, gently taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. “Why don’t you take some time to bathe and freshen up in the meantime? You’ll have more than an hour; I’m sure that’ll be enough.”

She did not give him an excuse right there and then, which was already a huge improvement compared to the outcomes of his previous attempts. Of course he did need her to actually say yes, and he was desperately hoping that she would.

“Now, go,” he said, releasing her hand. “Go, before I change my mind and decide to have you right here.”

She gave him a final smile before swiftly slipping out of the dining hall, joined by her handmaiden who was standing right outside the door. As they returned to their quarters, Chanyeol also took his leave. Once he was outside, he saw that his best friend Baekhyun seemed to be waiting for him.

“Ah, perfect,” said Chanyeol. “We didn’t get the chance to talk much just now. Let’s walk together.”

As they did, Baekhyun asked, “do you think the Chinese ambassador was impressed?”

“Sure,” Chanyeol answered casually and shrugged. “He also seems pretty respectful so far, but of course, we know better than to trust foreigners.”

Baekhyun nodded, and then his attitude strayed from the seriousness of diplomatic matters. “Had a nice time with Concubine Lim this evening, didn’t you?”

Chanyeol laughed. “Sure did. And tonight we’re _finally_ going to be finishing what we started.”

“Is that so? Congratulations, my King,” Baekhyun replied mirthfully. “But I’ve observed something interesting. If only you could see the way you look at Court Lady Jeon.”

“Jeon Taehee? Why?” Chanyeol asked, his eyebrows furrowing together. “What do you mean the way I look at her? With distaste?” He huffed. “You should see the way _she_ looks at me.”

“What, with distaste as well?” Baekhyun arched an eyebrow.

“Totally! She doesn’t look at me the same way my concubines do.”

“Well, that’s probably because she _isn’t_ one of your concubines,” Baekhyun pointed out.

“Sure, but what I mean is that she doesn’t have a single ounce of admiration for me. It's obvious,” Chanyeol grumbled.

“Then, if you dislike her so much, why not just execute her?”

“Well…” Chanyeol hesitated. “Actually, she...she does manage the kitchens very effectively...and as far as I know it, she's never made mistakes on-the-job. She's highly competent and as the King, I do need this kind of people around me, don't I? I mean not just in terms of running the palace but also in my council, on the battlefield for the sake of the country…”

As Baekhyun listened, he could easily notice that Chanyeol was trying to change the topic. Clearly, Taehee had an effect on him that no one else had. This was an observation that Baekhyun kept in mind even after his conversation with the King had ended and both of them had gone back to their own quarters for the night.

* * *

Unbeknownst to everything that happened at the feast was the queen, Seulwon, who was absent due to sickness. As she remained bedridden, her handmaidens attended her. One of them was Hera, and the other was Yunhee. They were on equal footing in the queen’s household, ranking highest among all the queen’s attendants as both of them had been serving Her Majesty for many years. At present, it was the Yunhee who was feeding medicine to the queen.

“What kind of medicine is this? It tastes awfully bitter,” Seulwon commented with a grimace, shaking her head. “Smells even worse.”

“It will help Your Majesty recover quickly,” said Yunhee with a slight smile in encouragement. She then handed a cup of warm water and a handkerchief to the queen.

“I went to the pharmacy and consulted the physicians today,” Hera reported. “They gave me these herbs and said it'll help Your Majesty sleep better. Hopefully, Your Majesty will return to good health in no time.”

Seulwon nodded. “These herbs better work, then. Or I’ll just be enduring the smell and the taste for nothing.”

“But why hasn't the King come to visit?” Yunhee questioned, her facial expressions concealing none of her dissatisfaction and disapproval. “It’s been days. Surely he's heard that you're ill. You're his queen and you're unwell and he doesn't care.”

Seulwon looked down and smiled faintly. “I’m sure His Majesty is just busy with work, and the special occasion tonight. There are a lot of reports he needs to read, especially now that there are riots near the border. He also has to deal with the representatives from China and they might be giving him a hard time.”

“What kind of a husband just neglects his wife like that?” Yunhee groused, still not happy with Seulwon’s explanation. In Yunhee’s eyes, these were all excuses and Chanyeol was just being irresponsible and negligent.

“He isn’t just my husband,” Seulwon pointed out. “He's also a sovereign who has a duty to all of his people. The last thing I want to do is be a burden to him.”

“I simply don't understand how Your Majesty can tolerate this,” Yunhee went on stubbornly. “You make so many sacrifices for him but he doesn't love you back, nor does he care about your wellbeing. And is he even that concerned about politics? He just spends all his time with his concubines. Especially that...that...the new one. Concubine Lim. He shows so much favor to her; it's as if _she's_ the queen.”

“We shouldn't criticize the King,” Hera cut in sternly. “It's treason and if word gets back to His Majesty, then the Queen will also be in trouble. We are always representing the Queen after all.”

Yunhee rolled her eyes, more frustrated by the King’s mistreatment of his Queen than by Hera’s reminder.

“I’m just saying,” Yunhee clarified. “Her Majesty deserves much better treatment. Don't you see how much Her Majesty loves the King? And yet h—”

“The King didn't marry me for love,” Seulwon interrupted, assertively yet calmly. “He married me because of my clan's influence and wealth that would help consolidate his reign and stabilize the economy. He isn't obligated to love me. I love him, but that’s irrelevant to our union. If he prefers the company of Concubine Lim or other women in his harem, so be it. The King has up to a hundred concubines; shall I try to compete with all of them? As long as they don't threaten my position as the queen, I won't give them a hard time.”

“Is it that difficult though...to just visit and check on his wife…” Yunhee uttered under his breath.

Seulwon sighed to herself. She knew, better than anyone, why Chanyeol did not like to visit, or see her, or even hear about her at all when she was ill: because it would remind him of her overall poor health. Her fragile constitution was the reason why she was not able to carry their first child to term. It had been several years since that miscarriage, and the King’s advisors would not stop nagging him about producing a legitimate heir to the Kingdom. As long as the royal couple remained childless, the advisors would not shut up. Chanyeol personally did not particularly care for being a father, but as the sovereign, he did have to do his duty to his country. So, perfunctorily, he would pay a visit to the Queen’s chambers perhaps once or twice a month, and see if there was any chance that they could have a baby.

Soon after this conversation with her handmaidens, the Queen fell asleep, and remained oblivious to how her husband spent the night and whom he spent it with.


	3. Consummation

Usually, when a woman had the privilege of entering the King's harem she would be expected to develop a sexual relationship with the King as soon as possible, most likely on the very first night. But that was not the case for Seojung. For the first week she was on her period, and for the rest of the month she was 'ill' as well.

The day she officially became part of the King's harem, all the other concubines saw for themselves just how frighteningly beautiful she was. Of course it was a constant competition between all the concubines, to seize the King's fickle attention and to keep the King's favor. To that end, these women would adopt any measures necessary. This included poisoning, backstabbing, and murder — the unholy trinity.

There was no shortage of concubines who were jealous of and threatened by Seojung's beauty. Quickly, she became one of their biggest rivals even though she was the newcomer — or perhaps exactly because she was the newcomer. Although she barely interacted with her 'competitors', her existence was enough for them to want to get rid of her.

They put poison in her food a total of two times within a very short period of time. The first time it happened, it was a drug mixed into some sesame flavored glutinous rice balls. It was supposed to make her infertile, but little did they know that as a monster, she was sterile anyway. She could taste it and identify it, but remained unaffected as monsters had a much higher immunity to various substances, compared to humans'. In the end the drug did nothing to her. Too bad for those who wanted to weaken and destroy her ability to bear children for the King as that was used as a measure of how high a concubine might rank in the hierarchy within the harem.

The second time, they targeted her beauty directly, specifically her face. They put something in the sauce that was mixed with the vegetables in her meal — the dish was meant to be spicy so the taste of the drug would be easily masked. It was supposed to make her lips engorge and swell, so that she would look so ugly to the King that surely he would be disgusted with her. The court physicians — bribed by the very concubines who conspired to poison Seojung — diagnosed this as an allergy when explaining her condition to the King. As she was ill, the court rules deemed her unfit to serve the King in bed, and dictated that she ought to focus on recovering so that she could once again be eligible to be in the King's service.

As a result, for several weeks, she had to wear a veil that covered half of her face. The King, smitten with her and constantly wanting what he could not get, which was to finally get to bed her, insisted upon visiting her even though the physicians advised against it.

Whenever he went to her chambers, her veil stayed on, so he could only see her eyes. And that was when he realized that out of all her beautiful features, his favorite had got to be her eyes. So mesmerizing. The seductive, inviting look in her eyes, as if she were tempting and daring him to come and take what he wanted. Even without the use of words, her coy yet playful gaze was enough to sustain his growing desire for her.

Once she had fully recovered, it was time to ditch the veil and for her to attend public occasions with the King. Normally this was the Queen's job, but as the Queen was indisposed, Chanyeol was more than happy to let his new favorite fill those shoes.

Chanyeol did as he said he would, and indeed Seojung found that a palanquin was dispatched to escort her from her residence to his bedchambers. She had already taken the time to bathe and get ready. She was well aware that Chanyeol and in fact everyone in this day and age would be expecting her to be a virgin. But since she had lived for hundreds of years, there was no way her virginity would still be intact. So as to not raise any suspicion regarding her chastity, she had had to manipulate her age, turn her body back to a infant’s and then turn it back to a young woman’s like she was now. There, virginity restored. Perks of being a monster.

But when it was time for her to go to the King’s bedchambers, she refused to go.

“Concubine Lim, please, these are the King’s orders,” said the eunuch, whose job was to see to it that whichever woman the King chose to spend the night with would be securely transported from her quarters to the King’s.

“Well, I don’t care about that,” Seojung declared and continued to sit in front of her dresser, unhurriedly combing her hair.

The eunuch was already getting desperate and impatient, and evidently very worried. No one had ever dared disobey the King like this, and certainly nobody wanted to know what penalty the King would issue for this kind of defiance. The King was not a punitive person or a particularly harsh ruler per se, but no one in their right minds would want to test his limits.

“Please, if you don’t go as the King has ordered, surely the King will penalize the rest of your household and also myself,” he pleaded helplessly. “I am of little importance in this palace, of course. But the King’s displeasure…”

“And if I still refuse? What are _you_ gonna do?” She asked flippantly. “Command the guards to forcibly carry me to where the King is?”

“W-well…” the eunuch spluttered, knowing that no one was supposed to lay hands on the King’s woman. He had spent the better part of an hour trying to talk her into doing as she was told, but obviously gathered no success.

“Exactly,” she replied singsong. “There’s nothing you can do about it.”

Unbothered, she got out of her seat and got on the bed instead, lying on her side with her back to the eunuch to signify that she was not at all interested in continuing their conversation.

Still, she was expecting that the eunuch would continue to beg. When he made no further sound, and all that she could hear was some shuffling sounds outside, she got curious. Turning her head, she found that the poor eunuch was no longer in sight. Instead, she came to lock gazes with the King himself, who had a scowl on his face.

Seojung made no effort to rise to bow at the King or formally welcome him in any way. She let out a slight giggle as she played with her hair, drawing amusement from the knowledge that Chanyeol was so frustrated by the wait that he had to personally come to see her. And now that he had ushered all their servants and attendants out of the room, he could finally have her all to himself.

“Well if you want to do it like this,” Chanyeol snarled. “We’ll have it your way then.”

He marched toward her somewhat aggressively — she had kept him waiting for way too long and he was fed up with it. He was already calculating the quickest way to remove her clothes; he would not even be the least bit apologetic if he ended up ripping her robe. But she saw that coming and took control of the situation before he could take control of her. Once he was within her reach, she held onto him while swinging her legs off the bed, effectively outsmarting him as she rose to her feet. Then she pushed him against the nearest wall, and traced a fingertip from his lips to his chin to his chest.

Chanyeol was taken aback, not at all expecting a woman to be so proactive in the bedroom. Whenever he was in bed with a woman, more often than not they would just lie there...like a log of wood. No doubt this was because they were taught by their elders and governesses that this was the way sex was supposed to be, and that the man was supposed to do all the work. But it was not _fun_. And Chanyeol wanted to have _fun_. And so, little by little, he began to experiment, finding new ways to give and receive pleasure, and exploring new positions.

Seojung’s advances were refreshing to him, and since she was the one who initiated the physical contact, he had the impression that she reciprocated his desire for her. Bending down slightly, he was ready to kiss her — with that dirty mouth of his — but she shied away from him and loosened her hold on him.

“What,” Chanyeol whined as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her body close like a freezing body needed warmth. It was always like this: she would give him a tiny little bit of what he wanted, and then abruptly stop. It was frustrating but also gave him enough hope to keep him believing that sooner or later he was going to succeed. That way, he would keep trying even though colossal efforts would just generate the smallest return each time. “Seojung-ah, please don’t deny me anymore. Not this time. I can’t stand it any longer.”

“‘Please’?” She giggled. “I never thought a _King_ would say that word.”

“You _know_ I’d do anything for you,” he insisted, burying his face into her long, silky smooth hair. “Why do you not want to share my bed? Is it because you’re scared of the pain?” He asked. Every woman that he had ever had sexual encounters with was a virgin when they were first presented to him. The first night usually seemed more painful than pleasurable to them, and Chanyeol had been with enough women to take note of that. He would not ever want to hurt any of them; in fact he quite wished they would enjoy it too. It would be dull if all they bore in mind was reproduction and nothing else.

Chanyeol might be a hedonist, but it did not mean he only cared about his own pleasure and no one else’s. When he showed a more considerate side to Seojung, she softened and curled her arms around his torso as well. Her cheek was resting against his chest, which implied to him that she enjoyed their contact, enjoyed being close to him, but above that she enjoyed tantalizing him and frustrating him.

Still, she did not answer his question and kept him wondering what she was thinking and what she could possibly be up to.

“If you _truly_ don’t want to give yourself to me, I won’t force you,” Chanyeol added, sounding so gentle even though if she would let him have his wicked way with her, he would be anything but gentle. “I don’t like to force people into anything, and I don’t think it’s right. But if you just keep turning me down because you simply want to toy with me and have no care for my feelings…” he sighed lightly. “Please, for once, just be merciful to me.”

Seojung quite liked the way his body felt against hers. Perhaps...she would like it even better if they got their clothes out of the way.

Picking up on the earnestness in his tone and acknowledging her own attraction to and desire for him, she looked up at him and drew him in for a kiss. She let him move his lips against hers, to fuel the impression that she was inexperienced and relied on him to teach her how this was supposed to work. She waited for him to slide his tongue into her mouth, and only then did she copy what he was doing to her. She had lived for hundreds of years and of course had plenty of experience, but he did not need to know that.

Chanyeol was unwilling to pause in his kisses. It was simply too good to be true, now that she was finally allowing him to kiss her. That was still far from _all_ that he wanted to do with her, but it was certainly a good place to start. And now that they got things started, he wasted no time, hastily reaching to unfasten her robe. She did the same for him, and it made his heart race to see that finally her eagerness was matching his. When they were almost fully undressed, his impatience got the better of him, along with his curiosity and passion. He lifted her up and had her wrap her thighs around his waist, still lip-locked as he steadily paced toward the bed. He sat down on the side of the bed and she remained on his lap, both of them scantily dressed. While her hands were in his hair, his hands were already roaming to her knees and thighs. He could not recall how many days and nights he had spent, just thinking about how nice it would be to be this intimate with his beloved Seojung, touching her and kissing her and making love to her till the sun came up. As he kissed and nipped at her neck fervently, her soft gasps only served to encourage him. When his lips trailed back up to her jaw, he wrapped one hand around her throat, not applying pressure at all but he just had to do it because of how fervently he wanted to touch her and claim her, to hold her in place lest she resist him and refuse him again.

Then she started to take off her remaining garments, and he looked elated. For _too_ long she had been denying him and sometimes he even thought perhaps she felt no attraction to him at all. Thank goodness she did at least find him appealing enough to be doing this with him.

“You do desire me, don’t you?” He asked anyway, continuing to press his lips against her jawline. “Because I…I feel like I’m on fire,” he said, his husky voice serving to arouse her further. “Every moment that I don’t get to spend with you like this...is agony to me.”

A small moan escaped her lips. “Yes,” she finally answered, breathless and wanton. “I want you. Don’t stop.”

Once her undergarments were out of the way, he was free to appreciate her perfect figure from head to toe. He could never get bored of looking at her beautiful body, but for now she did not want him to just gaze in admiration. She pulled him closer to her bosom, then tenderly swiped her thumb across a nipple to show him how she wanted him to stimulate and pleasure her.

He got the hint and replaced her thumb with his own, at the same time as taking her other nipple into his mouth. She moaned again, this time with less inhibition. He was even more pleased than she was, absolutely delighted that he was doing something that she liked, and doing it well. Perhaps if she liked it then they could do this more often, and he saw no downside to that.

Motivated by that thought, he put his mouth and hands to good use, giving equal treatment to her nipples as he fondled her breasts. He was practically burying his face into her chest, licking and kissing as if he were worshipping her body. When he pinched her nipples and squeezed her breasts with just the right amount of pressure, she could feel her wetness grow. She started to grind against him, her hands gripping his shoulders tight. He let out a hiss when she began to slowly move her hips. He was so hard already, but still tried his best to give her as much pleasure as he could before taking anything from her.

“Fuck,” he uttered, shutting his eyes for a moment. He needed to get out of these clothes, _fast_. He was so hard it was almost painful.

“Don't just say it,” she replied wittily, no longer rebuking him like she did during dinner earlier that evening. “ _Do it_.”

For a moment Chanyeol could not even believe his ears. Was this actually happening? For real? She wanted him to fuck her?

Amidst his disbelief, she cupped his face and kissed him, efficiently removing what was left of his garments. He was overjoyed. He had triumphed. He was getting what he wanted. Finally. Being King, he had practically never had to ask anyone for permission. But to hear that Seojung was actually _more_ than willing...ah, sweet victory. He would love to just lift her hips and slide her down onto his length. That would feel amazing. But for now he ushered her to lie down on the bed and make herself comfortable. As far as he knew, it was her first time after all, and if she could not even find a comfortable position then how could he expect her to be receptive to the pleasure that he was about to give her?

When the King was fully unclothed, Seojung understood why Chanyeol just wanted to take a moment to gaze and stare in admiration just now because right now she was feeling the same way about his body. Could she really say that his body was sculpted by the gods when no god could ever create such perfection? It was easy to get distracted. And when her line of vision strayed to his erection, it was obvious that he was ready. She was pleased with what she saw, especially his size.

“I want to make this enjoyable for you,” he said with much tenderness and sincerity as he lied down on his side too, mirroring her posture. “So tell me if it feels good.”

She nodded, for once compliant. She caressed the side of his face and then thumbed his chin tenderly, before kissing him passionately. And that was not all. She grabbed him and pulled him towards her until her breasts were lightly pressed against his chest, and he took pride in knowing that she wanted their bodies close just as much as he did. His hand slid down her back and groped at her ass without shame, which made her moan in anticipation at the same time as eagerly throwing her top leg over his thigh. He lifted her leg even higher so that it swung over his hip, making her gasp as he tugged at her. As soon as he greedily slid his top leg between her thighs, their bits were aligned in the perfect angle.

He did not seem to detect any shyness, or fear, or apprehension from her when she opened her legs for him. What an unusual, passionate lover. Then he realized how right this felt, how this was meant to happen as a culmination of their passion rather than an obligation, a tedious duty. Most couples were taught to stick with the same old traditional positions regardless of how boring it became, but it was Seojung’s first night with Chanyeol and they were already tangled in such an unconventional, yet intimate, yet exciting position. Chanyeol had always known that she was something else, someone who would not settle for the ordinary. She was so special in his eyes and he loved that about her.

Giving her thigh a firm squeeze, he slowly entered her, pressing all the way into her tightness. She gasped and clutched at his shoulder, biting his neck as if to get back at him for the pain. He was accustomed to this reaction; it was always like this on the first night. He on the other hand felt immense pleasure jolt through his veins, reaching every part of his body. She was tight, and wet, so very wet, and it made him grunt in delight.

“Perfect,” he commented breathily as he rubbed circles on her lower back to soothe her. She whimpered and dug her nails into his shoulder, but also began to grind against his pelvis as if she wanted more already.

“Give me more,” she whispered, and he gladly did her bidding. He started thrusting, each stroke deep and stretching her, allowing her body to get familiar with the shape of his cock. He found himself groaning in bliss and soon she was echoing him in her responses to his perfectly timed thrusts. The friction was so hot, so erotic, not just between their most sensitive parts but also as they scissored their thighs in between each other’s. As he sped up, they held each other even closer for stability and leverage. Her moans were no longer soft, and the sounds of their skin slapping together started to fill the room along with their grunts in pleasure.

“More,” she repeated herself, more needy this time. “Harder,” she demanded. “You feel so good in me.” She understood he was trying to be gentle at first, but now she needed more than that. In fact, she could not even wait for more commands to slip out of her mouth, already taking charge by gyrating her hips in circles, in tandem with his thrusts. She was skilled enough to maintain her circular motions without screwing up his pace, arching her back and throwing her head back in pleasure as she adjusted her movements to achieve more clitoral stimulation. She was happy with his eagerness to please her and pleasure her, but there was no way she was going to just lie there and expect a man to be able to satisfy her completely.

“Oh, you want this, huh?” He taunted, chuckling. “Shouldn’t have kept denying me then.”

“I’m not sorry,” she insisted defiantly, reaching behind to lightly rake her nails along his back. Even more aroused now, he hissed in ecstasy. He kept slamming into her with desperation, and to his delight she did not slow down either. He claimed her mouth once more with a series of kisses, and subsequently they were moaning and groaning into each other’s mouths. He was so impressed and flattered by her eagerness to heighten the intimacy of their sexual interactions. He continued to grip her ass tightly and her breasts bounced against his chest with every hard thrust.

“Fuck, this feels amazing,” he remarked in utter bliss, panting and sweating. He wanted to make her come undone for him first, but his body could not wait any longer. He was closer to his climax than he thought he was, and a moment later he was exploding in her already. He had no idea how tightly he was gripping her hips and squeezing her ass, just feeling the need to keep her in position while he spilled all his seeds into her. She moaned loudly once she felt his warm liquids shoot inside her, and her language was no less colorful than his when she felt her orgasm hit and wash over her. She panted, exclaimed his name in ecstasy, brokenly crying out in delight while he kept snapping his hips into hers for as long as he could, kissing her throat as they drew out the peak of their pleasure.

As soon as their highs had subsided, their breathing had slowed to normal. They entangled themselves from each other for a bit, cooling off from each other’s heat.

“Well,” said Seojung sweetly. She had a smile on her sweaty face, clearly satisfied with what Chanyeol gave her and what she took from him. “Hope that was worth the wait.”

“Certainly,” he replied and nodded proudly. He was grinning too as he stroked and caressed her back and waist.

“Good. It’ll be another month of wait for you until our next time, then,” she replied, smiling contentedly whereas his eyes widened.

“It won’t,” he asserted, his kingly dominance once again making the wetness between her thighs grow. “Our ‘next time’ will be _tonight_ ,” he added lustfully as he shifted his body so he could be on top of her. This way she was not going anywhere and he could keep her here in his arms. “Once you’re ready for me again.”

She shook her head and whined playfully, determined to defy him and resist him and not let him have his way just because it was such a turn-on for her. “No,” she replied singsong but also glided her leg against his to tempt him.

“ _Yes_ ,” he reiterated with emphasis, cupping her cheek and leaning in to give her a peck on the lips. “And we’re only just getting started.”


	4. Power

Although the royal court was full of surprises that could probably get someone killed, the palace also relied on a lot of routines to be followed by its inhabitants high and low. Handmaidens would go about their daily duties, running errands for whoever they answered to, and Hera was no exception. At the moment, seeing as it was almost noon, Hera had arrived at the kitchens just in time to collect a basket of fruits to be served to the Queen as part of her lunch.

On her way back to the Queen’s quarters, Hera passed by the Hall where the King would discuss affairs of state with his council, which was made up of Lord Baekhyun and a number of other politicians. It seemed it was about time for the meeting to be wrapped up, as the King’s advisors began to exit the Hall.

Out of curiosity, Hera slowed down in her tracks to observe the advisors’ behavior. Many of them — in fact most of them — were eager to cozy up to Baekhyun, no doubt because they had seen for themselves just how much the King trusted him. Hera could see the way they looked when they were faking smiles at him, hoping their flattery would get them somewhere. Shaking her head at their obsequiousness, she picked up her pace once more and decided to move on.

Just as clearly as _she_ caught sight of Baekhyun, _he_ also caught sight of her. He was definitely more eager to interact with her than with politicians whose oily words only ever carried empty promises. So he excused himself and quickly caught up with Hera.

“Hera!” He called out somewhat desperately.

She had no choice but to stop in her tracks, turn around, and bow politely at him. “My lord.”

“Why are you running from me?” He asked, perhaps a bit sad but not at all in an interrogative tone.

“I’m not the one who’s running, my lord,” she stated stoically, eyeing him from head to toe to indicate to him that _he_ was the one chasing after her. _She_ was just minding her own business.

“You know what I mean,” he whined.

She sighed. She did not want to be fake with him, just like those politicians were. So she said flatly, “don't you know how scary you are?”

“Me?!” He gawked at her. “Scary?” He then huffed and pouted, putting his hands on his hips.

“Don’t do that,” she replied quickly, trying to conceal that she actually _did_ find him to be kind of cute when he acted like that. But in that instant, she dropped all the formalities, no ‘my lord’, no ‘please’, no other tactics to polish or hedge her words. And _that_ was the biggest giveaway, although Baekhyun was polite enough to not expose her on that.

“I’m hurt that you think I’m intimidating,” he said, changing his pose but still pouting.

She took a deep breath and started to explain things to him, which was a good sign because at least it meant that she was willing to have a relatively lengthy and deep conversation with him. And no one else was around at the moment, probably because it was lunch hour, which was even better.

“Lord Baekhyun,” she began seriously. “You are one of the most powerful men in the royal court, apart from the King. You have the power and influence to make laws, and even change the dynamics between the aristocratic clans. All of them are hungry for power. Even the Queen's relatives. Actually, _especially_ the Queen's relatives,” she pointed out. “But _you_ can change the fate of all these clans, manipulate their rise and fall...you are capable of helping them or harming them, pit them against each other and watch them tear one another apart...you can bring peace, but also orchestrate chaos and destruction. You're dangerous,” she concluded with a shudder. “Why shouldn’t I be scared?”

He looked down for a moment before looking back up to meet her gaze. Her words made sense to him and he was glad that she was willing to be honest with him, to share what she thought of him even though it was not the impression that he would have liked to leave upon her.

“So,” he replied. “You fear power?”

“I just don’t want it to fall into the wrong hands.”

“It’s better to have too much power than too little,” he asserted, recalling their previous conversation. Neither of them was going to change their own beliefs so easily, but at least they were willing to open up about them.

“That's because you value your own survival over others',” she snapped. “You wouldn't care if innocents have to die, as long as _you_ get to live comfortably.”

He stared at her even more intently now that she was allowing more emotion to seep into the way she carried and presented herself during their exchanges.

“Isn’t that what a lot of people also do?” He asked, his tone gentle but his attitude firm.

“Not me,” she answered resolutely. “You and I, we are not the same. And I’m glad I’m not you.”

Baekhyun was actually a bit hurt. He liked to think that Hera was just neutral toward him, just that she did not have any romantic feelings for him. But now it seemed like she was aversive to him. Perhaps she disliked him because of their clashing values. And that was not going to work out in Baekhyun’s favor.

Deftly, he grabbed the basket she was holding and tugged at it. Taking her by surprise, he took it away from her and placed it on a nearby bench. She let out an offended yelp and immediately tried to get it back. But once she reached for it, he took this chance to grab her hand, and then placed it on his chest. She was instantly alarmed, flinching and attempting to retract her arm. But even that brief moment of contact was enough for her to see and feel what Baekhyun was — a monster.

After all, she was a witch, too. And among the supernatural species, if they wanted to reveal who they were, they could do it at will, through touch as long as it was close enough to the heart. Hera was aware of how this worked, and she shuddered not so much because she learned that he was a monster but more because of the fact that he invited her to see for herself, to see what he truly was. Because this move meant that _he_ also knew that she was among the supernatural.

“How did you know?” She gasped and defensively took a couple steps back from him for the sake of her safety. Part of her was afraid of him, after all. “How could you possibly have known?!” She demanded, more angrily now. Angry _and_ scared, because witchcraft was a crime by the kingdom’s laws, and she had made every effort to ensure that no one found out about her magical nature.

“Last month,” he answered calmly and honestly. “When the Princess fell into the lily pond and almost drowned, I saw you muttering something under your breath instead of jumping into the water or screaming for help,” he explained. “I also saw the way you concentrated and how the ripples moved unnaturally. You were casting a spell, right? It saved her life,” he added. “Hera, you have power too. Your very own. In nature it’s different than mine, but it’s power nonetheless. We are not as different as you think we are.”

“How could you say that?! If you saw me rescuing her then it must mean that you were there as well. So why didn’t you help? Were you just going to just let her drown?!” She was livid, hissing at him and glowering at him.

“Of course not,” he clarified. He did not want to raise his voice at her, but there were some things that he did want her to try to understand, especially from his point of view. “You were already saving her. If I drew too much attention while you were in the middle of your spell, you’d lose focus. If your concentration is broken then the spell won't work, and then the Princess might actually drown and die. And above that, you could have been caught. Isn't that why you’re so angry with me? Because the last thing you want is to be caught and exposed as a witch.”

She sighed and sat down on the bench, gripping the handle of her basket tight. He had a point and she could understand his logic. She took some time to calm herself down first, and then reminded herself that she was not here to have an argument with him.

“Besides,” he went on. “The Princess’ attendant was already crying for help. So you know what I did instead? I went in the opposite direction as she did, to alert the physicians so that someone would be able to check on her right after the eunuchs helped her out of the water.”

She looked up at him and was surprised at how narrow-minded she had been. Not once had she considered that he might have still indirectly done something for the Princess.

“I may be a monster, literally,” he continued. “But I am not the cold-blooded kind of monster you make me out to be.”

By now she was slightly ashamed of herself for having judged him too quickly. But she picked up the basket and rose to her feet, mindful that the Queen must be waiting for her food.

“Thank you for being honest with me,” she said to him sincerely. “I’m sorry if I’ve offended you with my words. I was harsher than I should have been,” she admitted. “But either way, to answer your question...it’s not exactly power that I fear. It’s being powerless, and being disempowered.”

“What do you mean?”

“I may have my witchy powers,” she explained. “But not everything can be fixed with magic. That would be too easy, and life isn't easy. Besides, I still live in fear of the law. It can take everything away from me, even my own life. I’m not immortal like you. And like I said last time, the palace is such a dangerous place. I would be foolish to feel safe even just for a moment.”

“Hera…” How he wished that he could protect her, make her feel powerful and empowered instead.

“I’ve noticed that Your Lordship is rather...fond of me, if I may be so bold to presume,” she said, at it again with her guarded tone and impenetrable layers of formality.

“That’s one way to put it,” he uttered. He would not have been so emotionless in describing his feelings for her, but then again he had not yet had the chance to really tell her how he felt about her.

“But what if we were enemies instead? Or what if someday we’re on opposite sides of a life-threatening issue?” She questioned. “Could you imagine the endless ways that you, with your position at court and closeness with the King, could eliminate me? Tear me down and humiliate me? Torment and hurt me?”

“Hera, I would never!” He exclaimed. “Why would I ever want to harm you — I would jump at the chance to protect you and all that you hold dear!”

“Those are very touching words,” she commented. “But in this palace, words _end_ lives much more often than they _save_ lives. I think you know that better than I do. There is no way I can be sure of your commitment.”

“Hera, what would you have me do to prove to you that I wouldn’t ever let any harm come to you?” He asked desperately. The look in his eyes was so pleading, so genuine, but if Hera was dumb enough to trust a _monster_ she would be damned.

“You don’t have to do anything for me,” she answered plainly. “And I won’t ask anything of you. If there ever comes a day when I am in troubled waters or when I am in need, I will see for myself who is truly committed to keeping me safe — and who isn’t.”

He gave her a slight nod, accepting that this was as far as she was willing to go with him for now.

“Good day, my lord,” she said, and bowed again before taking her leave of him.


	5. Princess

In the days subsequent to the consummation, Seojung carried on living comfortably, the King constantly showering her with affection. She continued to roam the palace grounds with her head held high, not at all bothered by the way people — servants, aristocrats, and other concubines alike — gossiped about her. She was living life the way she wanted to, and that was good enough for her. If other people were pissed off about it, so be it.

Of course, there were also people who were eager to cozy up to her, upon recognizing just how much power she held over the most powerful man in the Kingdom. Lower-ranking concubines would offer to be her pawns and goons as long as she would be willing to talk the King into spending one night with each of them. Their motives could not have been plainer to her; the more chances they had to sleep with the King, the more likely they could gain favor with him. Then they could climb up the social ladder and enable their own clans to do the same. But Seojung turned them down, feeling no desire to be altruistic. She was unwilling to involve herself in the pointless competition and endless rivalry within the harem. At least to _her_ it was pointless because she knew they were no match for her.

Likewise, some eunuchs from other departments in the palace started to approach Seojung with endless flattery, but she had never seen them before and did not intend to see these obsequious servants again. Even some ministers occupying minor posts in Chanyeol’s council were eager to strike up an alliance with her as well, aiming for a job promotion, but she honestly could not have cared less about these matters.

Perhaps the only one in this palace, apart from Chanyeol, who was genuinely eager to interact with Seojung without ulterior motives, was Baekhyun. Being the only two monsters in the palace, they had a lot in common and therefore lots to chat about, not to mention they had been friends for so many decades and centuries already.

Seated comfortably in a gazebo that connected two gardens, Seojung and Baekhyun found the time to play chess together.

“Maybe if you weren’t so good at this, I’d play with you more often,” Seojung complained, rolling her eyes as she could predict that Baekhyun was going to win this round of their chess game as well. Baekhyun on the other hand laughed.

“Practice makes perfect,” he replied.

She knew that she would _probably_ lose to him, but the game was not finished yet. She picked up a chess piece and absentmindedly twirled it between her fingertips, but it slipped and rolled several feet away. Yet she was seated too comfortably between the cushions and did not want to get out of her seat. Since nobody was looking, casually she outstretched her arm by a couple meters and got it back, placing it onto the chessboard and now waited for Baekhyun to make his move.

“It’s a useless superpower,” she commented. Being a monster, she had the supernatural ability to stretch her limbs across long distances, but she had always been dismissive about it. “Yours is a lot more fascinating.”

Baekhyun chuckled. _His_ superpower was indeed much more intriguing as he could access people’s memories and thoughts — as long as he was kissing them. Personally, he could not have asked for a better superpower. Each monster had their own unique superpower just like Baekhyun had his and Seojung had hers — the only superpower that _all_ monsters had in common was age manipulation.

“Well, the whole point of each of us having different and diverse superpowers, in addition to age manipulation that we all have in common, is so that we can be a versatile species as a whole,” he explained. No need to decorate his words to fool humans since Seojung’s handmaiden, who was the only one attending her at the moment, was standing close enough to the gazebo but just slightly out of earshot. “We all do things differently, like the way I socialize and befriend everybody, while you wouldn’t waste a single moment of your time on those who aren’t worthy or nice.”

“Why should I let _them_ manipulate me when _I_ ought to be the one manipulating them?” She shrugged. “Although, it _is_ kind of entertaining to see all these concubines try to outdo me and outcompete me but never gathering much success because I’m the one who has the King wrapped around my finger.”

“There’s no doubt that you’ve quickly become one of the King’s favorites,” he said. “And everyone can see that he’s been spending way more time on you than on the Queen or anybody else. I congratulate you, of course, but...why do you fancy the King?”

She laughed. “I’m shallow and I’m quite the hedonist, just like the King.”

“Do go on.”

“Well, you and I have both lived for a long time,” she pointed out. “But very rarely do we come across someone as handsome as Chanyeol.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

“Also, it’s the sexual satisfaction,” she explained. “My experience tells me what I like and what I don’t like. How could I possibly settle with a man who isn’t experienced, who doesn’t know how to make a woman feel good in bed? I definitely think the King would be one of the most experienced men I can possibly choose from. Experience can commend a man. Of course, it doesn’t _guarantee_ that he’d be skilled, but at least he’d know what he’s doing. So far, I think he’s doing fine. Given the meager sex education that people receive, he’s eager to please and experiment. I think I do quite enjoy spending time with him not just in bed but also in general. He spoils me in a way that no one else can, because he holds so much power and authority in his hands, and nobody else has that.”

“Makes sense.” Baekhyun nodded. “We monsters did evolve from humans after all, and I think there’s something evolutionary about wanting to attach yourself to someone who’s perceived to be powerful, for better chances of survival. Although, of course, _you_ don’t have to rely on that. For you it’s just an aphrodisiac.”

Seojung grinned. “You’re the only one who’d understand where I’m coming from.”

With a chuckle, Baekhyun replied, “takes a monster to understand one.”

* * *

In another part of the gardens a considerable distance from said gazebo, Chanyeol was walking with his cousin, Princess Jiwon. She was almost 10 years younger than him, and he doted on her quite a lot. When Chanyeol was determined to give love and affection — no matter romantically or familially or platonically — he would give a lot of it. But if he had no desire to show any affection or concern then he would barely make an effort.

“Little cousin, you have heard about our alliance with the Chinese, right?” Chanyeol asked.

“I have,” Jiwon answered. “What about it?”

“I’ve been thinking about this for some time. It would be in our nation’s best interests for you to marry the Crown Prince of China and become their future Empress,” replied Chanyeol seriously. “Do you have any objections?”

Jiwon shook her head after a moment of thought. She was a Princess and with the title came lots of rights and privileges but also responsibilities. She had a duty to her country too and now she had an important role to play in this international alliance. It seemed befitting for her to marry the Crown Prince; in terms of social standing, they made a perfect match.

“I trust Your Majesty will make the best decision for me and for the country’s future,” said Jiwon obediently.

Chanyeol smiled in relief. His little cousin _could_ be disobedient and rebellious at times, but most of the time he tried to satisfy most of her demands as long as they were harmless. After all, she was still a kid in his eyes even though she had just come of age and it was time for her to be married off. Albeit usually carefree and playful, when it came to serious matters, she was also mature enough to see the bigger picture. Or at least, it seemed that way for now.

“It will be difficult for us to meet once you're living in a country that's so far away,” Chanyeol pointed out gently. “But we'll write to each other often.”

“Certainly.” Jiwon nodded. “But speaking of marriages, I suddenly recall something I heard about when you were still the Crown Prince and your late parents had all the power to decide which women would be good enough to be part of your harem.”

“Hmm? You were just a child; what could you possibly have heard?”

“I heard lots!” She insisted. “For example, I heard that they wanted you to marry that young Court Lady Jeon Taehee.”

Chanyeol grimaced at that memory, but let Jiwon continue.

“I heard they were convinced that she'd make a good companion to you and that she would be able to run your household to their satisfaction, because she's virtuous and organized and she's capable of managing the palace. And they said something like, they would like someone thoughtful and methodical as their daughter-in-law.”

“Right, but she’s technically still a servant,” said Chanyeol.

“Exactly. But the fact that they would allow a servant to become part of the Crown Prince’s harem...it really says a lot about how much they respect her,” Jiwon replied. “It means they think so highly of her that they would be willing to let her serve you in an even more intimate and domestic capacity, and even bear children for you.”

Chanyeol shuddered at the thought of Taehee being a part of his harem. “Well, she’s competent and does her job well, I suppose, yes. It's most likely because of that my parents hold her in such high regard.”

“But you very firmly refused the marriage, despite what they think of her?” Jiwon asked curiously.

“Yes,” Chanyeol answered honestly.

“Can I ask why?”

“Because she isn’t pretty.” It was as simple as that. Chanyeol was not embarrassed about it and he never felt the need to sugarcoat anything or beat around the bush when he was just talking to his cousin.

“Oh really? I reckon she’s rather beautiful,” she remarked merrily. “Just that unlike your concubines she doesn’t wear a lot of makeup.”

Chanyeol snorted. “She is tolerable, but not attractive enough to tempt me.”

“So, how about Queen Seulwon?” Jiwon pressed on with innocuous curiosity.

“She’s pretty. Prettier than the average,” Chanyeol answered, equally honest as when he was expressing how he felt about Taehee. “But Concubine Lim is _way_ prettier,” he added as a smile was drawn across his face. He was clearly smitten with his beloved Seojung and made no effort to conceal it.

Jiwon shrugged. “I suppose so. But you know, I don’t really care how beautiful or ugly your women are. Whenever I visit them, they always prepare scrumptious snacks for me. I think that's what I'm going to miss the most when I go to China.”

As they walked, the servants who had to pass through would usually know better than to disturb the royals. They would take an alternative route to get to wherever they needed to be, even if it was going to take extra time, unless they deliberately wanted to draw the royals’ attention. For Yunhee, who was one of Queen Seulwon’s handmaidens, drawing the King’s attention was exactly what she was aiming for.

Once the King and the Princess took notice of Yunhee, she bowed reverently at both of them. She had no criticism for the Princess but she had very little respect left for the King due to his negligence of his wife the Queen.

“Ah, you are one of the Queen’s handmaidens, correct?” Jiwon asked. “How is the Queen? I visited yesterday but wasn't able to see her since she was taking a nap.”

“The Queen is still sick and very weak,” Yunhee reported. Technically she was answering the Princess’ question, but her aim was to let the King know about the Queen’s condition. “We are all praying for her quick recovery.”

“Perhaps I should pay a visit to her later today,” said Chanyeol casually.

“Thank you, Majesty,” said Yunhee flatly. “I’m sure the Queen would appreciate that.”

Deep inside Yunhee could not have been more pissed off at Chanyeol. Of course he ought to pay the Queen a visit; that was his wife after all! He should have done so a long time ago! But anyway, now that he had finally given the response that Yunhee was here for, she bowed once more and excused herself.

* * *

Although the Queen had yet to fully recover, at least she was no longer bedridden. She was seated in her study, attended by her handmaiden Hera who also sat down next to the Queen, ink brush in hand.

“The King’s cousin, Princess Jiwon, will be getting married soon,” the Queen announced. “We should help prepare her dowry.”

“Yes, Majesty,” Hera replied, ready to write down a list as the Queen went on.

“I suppose she will like to bring lots of jewelry and accessories with her. Also prepare lots of silks and fabrics for her so she wouldn’t have to worry about not having enough,” the Queen explained. “Life will be even tougher for her when she’s in a foreign environment. Sometimes I feel the King and I have sheltered her too much.”

As Princess Jiwon’s parents died young, she was raised by her uncle and aunt, Chanyeol’s parents. And after they passed away as well, it was up to both Chanyeol and Seulwon to see to it that Jiwon had everything she needed. They all wanted to make up for the parental love that she did not receive a lot of, but had perhaps ended up spoiling her in some ways and being overprotective of her.

“Sooner or later Her Highness will have to learn to fend for herself,” said Hera. “She may be young, but she will learn. And she might learn slow, but she will learn nevertheless. Like the rest of us did.”

“I hope so. It’s the imperial court after all — dangers are lurking around every corner. I fear Jiwon will be at a disadvantage not just because she’s a foreigner but also because she is unfamiliar with the power dynamics over there,” Seulwon pointed out.

Hera nodded. “I can understand Your Majesty’s concern. I’m sure the Princess will appreciate it. Perhaps...it would be helpful if we could consult the Chinese ambassador? It’s likely that Her Highness will benefit from meeting and talking with him from time to time, so she could get to know what their culture is like.”

Seulwon’s face lit up at that suggestion. “Brilliant idea. Remind me to talk to Jiwon about this once I recover.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” replied Hera. “I’ve heard Her Highness likes to read. She’d be able to spend her time much more interestingly and meaningfully if she could bring with her the poetry collection we have in the royal library.”

“Indeed. Commission someone to make a copy of the entire collection for Her Highness, so she won’t get bored,” the Queen instructed. “Ah, Hera, didn’t the Princess praise your handwriting, previously? I agree with her; it’s so neat.”

“Thank you.” Hera grinned. “I will help out with the copies, then.”

As they discussed the matter of Jiwon’s marriage, Yunhee soon returned and reported to the Queen. She emphasized the part where Chanyeol said he would visit the Queen later that day. But would he really do as he said he would?


	6. Playing Second Fiddle

Sadly, Chanyeol failed to keep his word.

Indeed he did not exactly promise Yunhee or Seulwon anything, but he had most certainly forgotten that he himself was the one who said he would visit the Queen later that day. Instead, he spent the rest of the day with Seojung, unsurprisingly. They even had dinner together and then went for a moonlit walk. Afterwards, they returned to the King’s chambers, dismissing their attendants so they could have more privacy.

“My love,” Chanyeol began. “I have heard a lot of rumors about you recently.”

Seojung shrugged. “It’s the royal court. There are always going to be rumors.”

“But don’t you want to know what I’ve heard?”

Normally, those who gossip would still have enough shame to make an effort to prevent members of the royal family from hearing about the rumors. So if this had reached the King’s ears, it must be some next-level gossip that was spreading like wildfire.

“If Your Majesty wishes to tell me about it, then I shall sit still and listen,” Seojung offered, evidently in a very good mood tonight and not toying with the King as she usually would. She scooted closer to him and he immediately put his arm around her waist, holding her close.

“There are rumors, within my harem and among the servants,” said Chanyeol solemnly. “That because I favor you so much, I’m going to demote Hwangbo Seulwon and make _you_ the Queen instead.”

“I see,” Seojung replied calmly. She kept her tone neutral, but it was actually indifference. People could say whatever they wanted; just because they kept being loud about their conjectures and opinions did not mean that they were going to gain any relevance. Any attention that they might receive from spreading these rumors would be short-lived anyway.

“But the thing is I can’t do that,” Chanyeol went on. “Because the Queen hasn’t done anything wrong, so my advisors would be enraged if I were to do what these rumors say I am going to do. Her clan will also be offended and I know better than to piss off one of the richest and most influential clans in the kingdom. They're influential in many ways.”

Seojung nodded even though she was resting her head on Chanyeol’s shoulder. “I understand.”

“Although,” said Chanyeol, with a sigh. “If I could do it without any repercussions, I think I probably would go ahead with it.”

Seojung looked up at Chanyeol. “Why?”

“Because,” he replied. “Because I love you that much. If I could make you my Queen, it would give you status, power, unparalleled privilege, among a _lot_ of other benefits. What the Queen now has, you'll have too, and more. Why wouldn’t I want to let you have all those and more?”

She pouted at him and then returned to her original position, gently clinging to his arm. “I’m not that concerned about those.”

“No? Why wouldn’t you care about these things? Why wouldn’t you want something that every woman in my kingdom would want?” He questioned, not confrontationally but out of genuine curiosity. Truly, she was an enigma to him, a mystery he was resolved to resolve, and that was part of what had him so, so drawn to her.

“Because I already have what other women can never have,” she answered confidently. She placed her palm flat on his chest to specify what she was hinting at — his heart. Once he understood what she was talking about, he placed his hand atop hers and grinned.

“I used to wonder why you’ve never asked me for anything such as titles or jewelry or gold or whatever,” he revealed, a tender look in his eyes with endless appreciation. “And now I know why.”

She looked up at him again and smiled heartily. “For me, it’s enough to just have your love.”

He was most pleased to hear that. “The law may say otherwise, but I want you to know that in my heart,” he declared. “You are my only Queen.”

As if to emphasize that he meant what he said, he leaned in to kiss her lovingly. She was receptive to his way of showing his affections, kissing him back without hesitation. He reached out to thumb her chin, stroking it ever so gently. She slowly wrapped her hand around his wrist and then broke off the kiss only to take his thumb into her mouth. Instantly there was a debauched glint in her eyes, and it took only a second for him to switch gears to match her energy.

“You mean it? All of what you said just now?” She asked mischievously, even though she already knew the answer. Clearly she was up to something and he was aware of that as well. He could not wait to find out what she was planning.

“Of course I do,” he said in reassurance, still adopting a tone of fondness for now but not without wantonness. “You're the Queen of my heart, Seojung. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you.”

“Well then,” she replied, winking at him before leaning in to whisper in his ear the invitation that he had been longing for, “fuck me like you mean it.”

* * *

Yunhee was extremely disappointed, probably even more so than the Queen herself, that Chanyeol had completely forgotten about what he said he would do. Unfortunately, the show must go on. Yunhee tended to her daily duties and assisted the Queen with whatever she needed help with. Then she was assigned to go to the royal library, to look for the poetry collection that the Queen asked for, as well as the manuscripts of other classic literature works that were to be copied and included in the items that Princess Jiwon would be bringing with her all the way to China.

After a thorough search of all the available material, Yunhee’s hands were completely full with scrolls. Surely, the Princess would enjoy at least _some_ of these even if not all.

Ready to take her leave and return to the Queen’s quarters, she rounded a corner and then had to make her way past numerous tall columns of bookshelves in order to reach the front door. But suddenly, someone a few feet away emerged from behind one of the bookshelves and stepped into the corridor. Yunhee almost gasped — it was not just _anyone_. Not just an unsuspecting maid who was supposed to sweep the floors.

It was Lord Baekhyun.

Thinking on her feet, Yunhee deliberately dropped all the scrolls in her hands. The noise effectively drew Baekhyun’s attention, although she pretended to not notice that he was here at all. She crouched to pick them up, and only when he paced toward her and helped her with it did she acknowledge his presence.

“My lord,” she said timidly, rising to her feet only to bow at him. Her cheeks were flushed red and it looked as if she was out of breath. As far as she could recall, she had never, ever been this close to him. So close. Close enough to touch! She had only ever been able to admire him from a distance, but here he was. Right in front of her. And his features were much more beautiful than she had ever known. It was an understatement to say that she was awestruck.

Baekhyun, on the other hand, was calm and collected. Comfortably, he smiled at her, and instantly it made her heart flutter. He handed one of the scrolls back to her, but once she put her hand on it and began to grasp at it, he pulled back a little and did not let her take it completely.

She looked up at him, eyes wide in confusion. No words came to her head. It was empty.

“I didn’t know you had such an interest in reading,” Baekhyun commented lightheartedly. “What do you think about the recent infatuation with the theme of romance? Poets these days will hardly write about anything except that.”

Yunhee had no idea what he was talking about. Did she mention her head was empty?

“I...the-these materials...a-are for...for t-the Princess…” she explained nervously. Baekhyun had caught her off guard completely. Inwardly she was chiding herself for being so stupid, for not taking the time to educate herself about poetry and literature. She should have known that Baekhyun had great interest in these matters, and if she could have an intellectual discussion with him on it, then surely she would be able to impress him and become memorable to him. He was so smart and must have read many of these scrolls plenty of times, while she knew nothing. Nothing!

“Ah, the Princess? But surely you were sent here by the Queen,” Baekhyun replied. It was not difficult to connect the dots. “I’m guessing these will be Her Highness’ entertainment in China?”

Yunhee nodded, highly impressed. “How did you know?”

Baekhyun grinned. “Just a lucky guess.”

Then he took a glance at the rest of the scrolls, and started to take some of them away. Yunhee continued to look on in surprise, not sure what he was doing but she was sure that she would let him do it anyway. She was completely defenseless against him and even if it were not for her crush on him, no doubt he was more knowledgeable about literature and poetry than she could ever be.

When she snapped to attention again, he presented some other scrolls to her. “I believe these will suit the Princess’ tastes better," he explained, pointing at the new materials he had chosen.

Yunhee nodded again. She could only have nodded anyway, since she reckoned she had nothing meaningful to contribute. Anything Baekhyun said must be right.

She could only watch him closely as he rearranged the scrolls and switched them out. Little did she know about the endless mischief going on in the monster’s mind. It was too obvious, the way she was staring at him with her mouth hanging wide open. It was also obvious that she had no idea that she was being obvious. Seeing as she was clearly attracted to and mesmerized by him, he decided to toy with her a little.

He pretended to drop one of the scrolls, and immediately it had elicited a squeak from her. Instinctively, she tried to catch it but began to drop everything else she was supposed to be holding. This time it was definitely not on purpose. At least, _she_ did not plan this but _he_ sure did. 

Quickly, he stooped down to catch her _and_ all the scrolls that she was supposed to be holding, essentially scooping her up with one arm. Those scrolls were trapped and squished between their torsos, the edges poking uncomfortably at their ribs but the discomfort barely registered on them. She had been holding her breath the whole time, and being in such close proximity with her crush, her heart was already beating fast enough as it was. She was completely amazed and shocked when Baekhyun let out a small giggle, raising his other hand to show her that he was still firmly holding the scroll that he had yet to properly return to her.

Baekhyun was certainly amused, giving Yunhee a scare and then swiftly taking the fright away. Slowly and carefully, he let go of her and made sure she was steadily and firmly carrying all the scrolls she needed.

“Are you sure you don’t need someone to help you with these?” He asked, still calm as ever, as if the hiccup just now never happened.

“I…” she gulped. Part of her was hoping that he would insist anyway so that she would have an excuse to spend more time with him, even if it was just going to be an extra moment. Even that would mean a lot to her already. “I wouldn’t dare bother Your Lordship.”

“Oh, no, no. Not me,” he clarified, but smiled at her. He beckoned a eunuch over from one of the work benches, and Yunhee knew that her hopes had been dashed. She took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure. At least, she did get to interact with Baekhyun today. It was still a win for her.

In the end, she exited the library along with the eunuch who helped her with the scrolls. She barely paid him any notice but shyly and tensely thanked Baekhyun.

Instead of saying anything in reply, he only winked at her. And instantly her feelings were all over the place.

As she left, he stayed there, near the door and continued to watch her, knowing the effect that he had on her. He was confident that she was going to steal glances at him, thinking he would not be looking anyway. But he was, and just as he had expected, she constantly looked over her shoulder to catch further glimpses of him as she walked off.

 _He_ clearly meant a lot to her while _she_ did not mean much to him. But why not use that to his advantage? He was aware that he had no shortage of admirers within the palace, and he could manipulate them into becoming his informants, without them ever being conscious that they were providing him with critical information. He would be happy to add Yunhee to that list.

Besides, Yunhee was the Queen’s handmaiden too, just like Hera was. This meant that Yunhee got to spend a lot of time with Hera and would know a lot about Hera’s routines and probably other stuff about her. If Baekhyun could get this kind of information from Yunhee, he might be able to find ways to impress Hera. That would work out in his favor, right?

 _At the end of the day, knowledge is power_ , he insisted as he thought to himself. Hera might not agree, but that was his conviction.

He let out a sigh. No one, monsters and humans alike, would ever want unnecessary complications. And yet, Baekhyun thought about his own situation and realized that it was not ideal. In fact, it was far from ideal. He had strong romantic feelings for Hera, even though she was largely indifferent to him and could definitely do without him. At the same time, it was evident that Yunhee had the fattest crush on him while he only regarded her as someone he could exploit. Why oh why did he have to be involved with _both_ of the Queen’s most trusted handmaidens like this?


	7. If

To Baekhyun, Yunhee might be of little importance, but Hera was one of the most important people in his life. The moment he came up with an excuse to see her, he went ahead with it. Speedily, he arrived at the Queen’s quarters, and Hera was at the gates.

“My lord, how may I help you?” Hera asked politely, but put as many layers of formality between them as possible. She would probably hold the same attitude to anybody else who might ask for an audience with the Queen, but Baekhyun did wish that Hera could regard him as someone...special. Not just because he was a monster and special in that sense; that was an important factor too but specifically he wished that she would like him back, romantically.

Baekhyun licked his lips. “I was wondering if the Queen is feeling any better.”

“Well, Her Majesty is still ill, so she will not be receiving any visitors,” she said vaguely. “If you have a message for the Queen, I will deliver it.”

“Hera, can’t I just want to see you?” Baekhyun asked, softly and pleadingly.

She paused. “I appreciate Your Lordship’s affections for me, but —”

“You do? Or are you just saying it so I’ll shut up and go away?” He pouted. “Are you still scared of me? I don't want you to be. I wish you’d let me show you a side of me...that you can be fond of.”

She sighed. She still felt a bit guilty about being so aggressive and harsh with him the last time they interacted. She did not know what to say to him. She was still able to look him in the eye, at least, and when she really, _really_ looked at him, scanned his features more patiently, he did not look intimidating at all. Rather, he was quite gorgeous. But that only made him more dangerous, right? He could trick people into thinking he was an innocent, harmless little lamb when in fact...

“Hera,” he went on, needing something to bring her attention back to _him_ , not just her thoughts of him. “C-can I court you?”

She snapped to attention immediately. “That's very straightforward of you,” she remarked. “But I have neither the time nor the interest to think about courtships whatsoever.”

“Perhaps, but everyone knows of your association with the Queen, and they will be thinking _for_ you and glad to use you as a pawn in their ruthless political games anyway,” he pointed out, taking the chance to prove to her that he could be thoughtful and considerate too. That he had her best interests in mind and that he would do anything to protect her, like he said last time. “You also mentioned last time that the Queen’s clan is hungry for power. So they will definitely use you to their advantage should the need arise. Until then, you can still choose for yourself. For your own safety and even happiness, you _should_ be thinking about it.”

She was nowhere as emotional as she was last time, and was calm enough to carefully analyze his advice and the wisdom in his words.

“Sounds reasonable,” she replied. “Well then, let me take some time to think about your offer.”

He nodded. He knew better than to expect her to say yes right away, but at least he was able to make his intentions clear to her. And if she would be willing to so much as consider him as a suitor...that would be very good already.

Before he could take his leave, however, the Queen showed up. She barely went outside at all since she had fallen ill, and she could really use some fresh air. A walk in the gardens would be nice, and as long as Hera would attend her, there was nothing she needed to worry about.

“I’m pleased to see Your Majesty is feeling better,” said Baekhyun after greeting the Queen.

“I am most grateful for Your Lordship’s concern. Perhaps we should meet and play chess together sometime,” Seulwon suggested, with a smile. “When you're not so busy with the administrative work that the King has assigned to you, of course.”

“Certainly, Majesty,” Baekhyun replied. And with that, he excused himself, leaving Seulwon and Hera to chat in private as they walked.

“Hera,” the Queen began. “What do you think of Lord Baekhyun as a person?”

Hera’s eyes darted away awkwardly. “I'm afraid I do not understand my Queen's question.”

“Well, the King is eager to see his best friend take a wife, so that he'll have someone taking care of him and running his household for him. His Majesty would like me to see if there are any noblewomen within the right age bracket and with a suitable family background that would make a good match with Lord Baekhyun,” Seulwon explained. “Of course, personality would matter too.”

Hera was not expecting herself to feel this way, but she actually felt mildly _alarmed_ upon hearing that the King had the intention of arranging a marriage for Baekhyun. For Hera, the most unsettling part of it all was that she had no clue who in the world the King might choose for Baekhyun. And it seemed like Baekhyun himself had no clue either, seeing as mere minutes ago he was just asking if he could court her.

“In that case, has Your Majesty found any noblewoman who might be a good fit?” Hera asked.

“I’ve had a look at the list of all the aristocratic clans and the young ladies that are available to be wed. I've seen some of their portraits too and I suppose they are all young and pretty. It's just going to be tricky trying to find out what kind of a person each of them is.”

Hera was instantly relieved. “I see.”

“Yunhee was with me,” Seulwon went on. “When I glanced through the list of candidates. She was less than impressed with those ladies' profiles. She insisted they were plain and mediocre, and couldn't possibly be good enough for someone like Lord Baekhyun. She was _very_ firm when she said His Lordship has the best of everything: looks, personality, family background, competence as one of the king's advisors...in sum, she was just singing his praises.” Towards the end of her sentence she was smiling. Clearly, Yunhee’s opinions and the way she expressed them were amusing to the Queen.

“Ah, I was not aware that she thought so highly of His Lordship,” said Hera.

“Neither was I. So I joked there and then that perhaps _she_ ought to be the one to marry His Lordship,” Seulwon replied, laughing gently. “You should've seen the look on her face.”

Hera chuckled too. She could imagine how worked up Yunhee must have looked.

“But in all honesty,” Seulwon continued. “I have indeed been thinking about making matches for both you and Yunhee. The two of you have been my attendants since I was a teenager who didn't even dare dream of being the Queen. But now, I _am_ the Queen. And I want to use that power and influence to secure the best marriages for the two of you. Of course it'd be best if it's a love match. I understand it doesn’t happen often, but it’s not impossible. So, if there happens to be anyone that you fancy…”

“There...isn’t anyone,” Hera answered, wondering if she was blushing. “But thank you, Your Majesty, for thinking for us,” she added. She was happy to see that the Queen was someone with a kind heart, someone who desired to use her position wisely. “I am happy to be in your service and if I were to get married, I'd have to devote myself fully to being someone’s wife and follow all these rules. How I dress, how I eat, how I walk, and even how I sleep...and I'm not sure I would want to do that. Also I'd have to move out and I wouldn’t get to see Your Majesty so often,” she pointed out, and she was absolutely serious, not just making excuses to get herself out of a potential betrothal. “I don't really trust other maids to be attending Your Majesty; they aren’t really sensitive to your needs and the way you prefer things to be done. So if it isn't an absolute must, I'm fine with not getting married. At least not yet.”

“If you insist. I won’t push you into anything, so don't worry about it,” said Seulwon in reassurance. “I just want you to know that over the years I’ve come to treat you as a friend too, not just as a servant. And I do want you to be happy.”

“I am thankful for Your Majesty’s kindness,” replied Hera. “Perhaps, when the time is right, Your Majesty will find that I will happily go into matrimony.”

* * *

A couple more days had passed since then, and Seulwon had fully recovered.

As she had previously been indisposed, she had yet to be formally introduced to the Chinese ambassador. Because women were not allowed to take part in affairs of state, there was technically no necessity for Seulwon to cross paths with the Chinese ambassador. But perhaps it was going to happen anyway, for Princess Jiwon’s sake.

“So we will be visiting him today?” Jiwon asked, clearly excited about the occasion. “I can’t wait!”

The Princess’ energy and innocence of a teenager was so pure and pleasing to the Queen. “Yes, that’s correct,” Seulwon answered.

Chanyeol had given his permission too, for this meeting, as he also had the mind to give his cousin the opportunity to get to know Chinese culture and the imperial court better. But as she was still a child, sort of, it would be better for a trusted adult to accompany her. Naturally the Princess would have her own attendants, but they would not be able to play a supervisory role, and the only person that Chanyeol really trusted with this role was Seulwon.

“I want to find out what the Crown Prince of China is like,” Jiwon replied enthusiastically. “After all, I am to be his wife!”

“Are you looking forward to your wedding, Princess?” Seulwon asked as they got into the carriage, on their way to the accommodations arranged for the Chinese ambassador and his retinue. They were seated comfortably while their handmaidens and other attendants walked behind their carriage.

“For sure I am!” She chirped. “It will be very grand, won’t it? Just like when you and the King got married?”

Seulwon smiled and nodded. She could not help but take a trip down memory lane, flashing back to when she was Jiwon’s age. She could remember her nerves on her wedding day. She had been told, repeatedly, what her duties would be once she became Chanyeol’s wife — he was still the Crown Prince at the time. There were a lot of rules to follow, but she was willing to do it. It was such an honor to become his consort. And when he vowed to respect her and love her for the rest of his life, she could not have been happier.

She thought of her wedding night, her very first night with Chanyeol. They were just two clumsy teenagers who had no idea that sexual encounters could serve any other purpose than making babies, but accidentally finding out that it could be pleasurable.

He gave her a lot of his attention in the beginning, even though as the heir to the throne of course he had a lot of administrative duties as well, no less than she did in a more domestic capacity. He was kind to her and had no complaints about her competence as his consort, which for a political marriage was already a very ideal outcome.

Perhaps slightly less ideal was that over time, she had grown to love him, but it was unrequited. Just like all the Kings before him, Chanyeol began to expand his harem, one concubine after another. He might love them for a period of time, perhaps a year, a month, a week, a day, or even an hour. But eventually he would move on to the next, and the cycle repeated itself.

It was not Chanyeol’s promiscuity that saddened or surprised Seulwon. Just that he did not reciprocate her romantic feelings for him. She kept thinking that perhaps one day, he would love her back. And when she was with child for the very first time, both of them were overjoyed. She was convinced that surely this baby would make Chanyeol more attached to her, possibly even develop some feelings for her. But she was disappointed to see that things did not turn out the way she wanted them to, and heartbroken when she had miscarried.

Their relationship, just like her health, had not been the same ever since. They grew distant from each other and although she never stopped loving him, he never started loving her either. He would still visit her and be civil with her, although it was plain to her that their relationship had devolved into a purely functional one instead of a companionate one. They would still share a bed regularly, but not very frequently.

Seulwon felt as if she had failed him, failed her family who had high expectations for her, failed their unborn baby, and failed herself too. It was her fault for losing the baby, after all. If she had been able to give him an heir, she would be able to secure a much more important place in his heart, right?

And so, for the past few years, she remained lonely and neglected. Chanyeol was not _unkind_ to her, but her own clan, her own relatives who were the ones who strived to place her in Chanyeol’s household in the first place — they were also the ones who were harshest to her, disgusted with her inability be the perfect Queen for the King. All they wanted was to become powerful and wealthy, and to achieve those ends they had to rely on her influence at court. If she continued to be a ‘failure’ as they so described her, eventually she was going to be responsible for the clan’s downfall. The only person who did not admonish her and still tried to stand up to her unscrupulous relatives was her own brother, a military general. The two siblings had always been close and she was grateful that he kept defending her. But he was always either on the battlefield or training soldiers elsewhere, so she seldom got to see him, and his support for her would not suffice. At the end of the day, she could only count on herself, not any man around her.

Seulwon sure hoped that Jiwon would find herself to be in a happier marriage with the Crown Prince of China than the marital union between herself and Chanyeol. Indeed the Crown Prince of China was almost twice as old as Jiwon, but happiness in marriage, as far as Seulwon saw it, was not dependent on how close or far apart in age a couple was. She and Chanyeol were pretty much the same age but look at how it turned out.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness,” one of their servants announced from outside the carriage. “We have arrived.”

The two royal women alighted from the vehicle and paced toward the gates of the residence assigned to the ambassador from China and his entourage. The ambassador himself was here to personally welcome the two ladies, and he was accompanied by his guard.

If Chanyeol had never mentioned anything to Seulwon about the Chinese ambassador, she would have pictured a middle-aged man, or even older. But now that she got to see him in the flesh, he was nothing like she expected. He looked to be in his mid-twenties as well, around the same age as Seulwon and Chanyeol. The ambassador was also tall and gorgeous, which completely shattered Seulwon’s concept of all ambassadors being rotting old men.

Greetings were exchanged, and without further ado the ladies were invited inside. They were seated comfortably as tea was served.

“The King has mentioned you to me a few times,” said Seulwon with a polite smile as she spoke to the ambassador. “My understanding is that you are a Prince as well? The younger half-brother of the Crown Prince of China, correct?”

“That is correct, Your Majesty,” the ambassador replied. “Although, I prefer to be called Yifan.”


	8. What She Must Bear

“Would that not be imprudent, Your Highness,” said Seulwon, who looked at the ambassador, _Prince Yifan_ , intently as she spoke. “If I were to address you by your forename? Especially when we are still in such an early stage of our acquaintance.”

“Then pardon me, Your Majesty,” he replied deferentially. “I did not mean to overstep my boundaries.”

“Can _I_ call you Yifan then?” Jiwon asked eagerly, her childlike innocence completely unblemished. “I’m a Princess too and you’re a Prince, so we are equals. You can call me Jiwon too if you like!”

“No, Princess, that’s impolite,” Seulwon answered hastily. “When you do become the Crown Prince’s wife and effectively Prince Yifan’s sister-in-law, then you may refer to His Highness in less formal terms, but only if it pleases the Crown Prince as well as the Emperor and the Empress for you to do so.”

Seulwon at her core disliked being so stiff, having to be prim and proper all the time. When she was a teenager, she was also carefree and innocent and full of life, just like Jiwon was. But she was not going to be a teenager forever and now that she was part of the royal family, she was supposed to represent the nation and that meant that she had to be very careful in choosing her words. She reckoned that Jiwon should also learn to do the same, especially now that she ought to be groomed to become the consort of the Crown Prince of China.

“Alright,” Jiwon replied quietly and decided to stay silent until she was sure it was her turn to speak again.

Yifan cleared his throat and piped up. “It is a pleasure to meet both of you. I’m sure my brother, the Crown Prince, will be just as pleased to welcome the Princess to the imperial court. It will be hugely beneficial for both our countries to solidify our alliance through this marriage. As the ambassador, I will be happy to assist the Princess in adjusting to life at the imperial court.”

“That’s exactly what brings us here,” said Seulwon. “We would be very grateful if Your Highness could be so kind as to enlighten us on all that we need to know about your home country and in particular the customs at the Chinese court.”

Yifan nodded, and started to talk about the hierarchy in the palace, in the government, within the ruling family, and in the harem.

“The Crown Prince’s first wife died of a sickness and they have no children,” he revealed. “He has a number of concubines too, but he has made it clear that he will not be elevating any of them to the position of his official consort. It is our belief that position is reserved for a bride of a worthy rank — that is Your Highness, Princess Jiwon. The Crown Prince has the greatest respect and admiration for his betrothed, and looks forward to a lasting union with Your Highness.”

“But he’s never met me before,” Jiwon blurted, no longer able to restrain herself. “How can he know how he feels about me already? There’s still so much I don’t know about him.”

“The Crown Prince is very athletic — he enjoys hunting, and is skilled in swordsmanship and archery,” Yifan went on, not at all minding Jiwon’s curiosity. “He’s led numerous wars too, and has never lost in battle. He is a revered figure in the military, as well as in the government.”

“Hmm. Seems he will make a very popular Emperor in the future, then?” Jiwon asked.

“I am confident that that will be the case,” Yifan answered. “And Your Highness will be the perfect Empress consort by his side.”

“Perfect?” She blinked, not sure if it was supposed to be a compliment or an unrealistic standard that she will be held to. “Does His Highness expect me to be perfect?”

“Well,” Yifan hesitated, but only very slightly. “Being the Crown Prince’s consort does come with a range of duties, although I’m sure Your Highness will perform them to the Crown Prince’s satisfaction.”

“Like what duties, for example?” Jiwon leaned in and listened even more attentively.

“The first and foremost duty and function of a wife, of course, is to bear children for her husband,” Yifan stated as if it was the most natural thing ever. “In your case, it is expected that you will birth an heir—”

“I have to give birth?” Jiwon cut in, genuinely shocked. “But I don’t want to!”

“Princess Jiwon!” Seulwon was quick to berate the young girl for behaving so impulsively. “That is a very discourteous thing to say, especially to an esteemed guest. You will apologize for your indiscretion. Now.”

“Why?! I don’t want to bear children and give birth!” Jiwon protested as if no one else was in the room. Of course a lady should never raise her voice, but she did not care anymore. “I’m not ready to be a mother! I don’t know _how_ to be one! And I don’t _want_ to be one! Get someone else to do it!”

“Child, you must understand,” Seulwon argued. Her tone was stern, but her eyes were pleading. “It is _your_ duty. You _must_ do it.”

“‘Must’?! I don’t care!” Jiwon practically exclaimed. “ _You_ didn’t birth any children and you’re doing perfectly fine as the Queen. I don’t see why _I_ should have to!”

Seulwon gasped, clearly hurt by the Princess’ thoughtless words. She might be young but that was _very_ insensitive.

Equally rashly, the Queen herself stood up and stormed out of the room. The young Princess was taken aback, not knowing what to do. Seulwon was usually gentle and reserved, and never would Jiwon have expected that she would snap like that.

But Seulwon just had to get away from it all. It was too much. The pressure on her, the burden...all of it was too much. She felt so powerless, as if even Jiwon could bully her. It was not like that; the rational side of her knew that Jiwon did not have any malicious intentions. Still, it just hurt so much. It was not as if she had not been beating herself up over it already — her failure to produce an heir to the kingdom. It was her duty and she _wanted_ to do it just as much as Jiwon did _not_ want to do it for her future husband. It was ironic, and laughable, and pathetic.

Seulwon was also aware that Chanyeol did not want to bother with the burden and responsibilities of being a father just yet, even though he had as much of a duty to the kingdom as she did. Yet it was _her_ that people chose to blame and shame, for not doing her job, not being able to bear children for the King. Because of the miscarriage, she and Chanyeol had not slept together very often, which made it even less likely for her to conceive a child. At the same time, he had a harem full of women who would be more than happy to bear his children. If any of them got pregnant and gave birth to a son ahead of the Queen, it would definitely threaten her position as Queen and there would be a succession crisis. The more time passed, the more hopeless and powerless she felt. How could she not be saddened and burdened by all of this?

Prince Yifan, who had been closely watching the exchanges between the two women, rose to his feet immediately and chased after the distressed Queen. She could not have gone far so he caught up with her in no time, not to mention his advantage of having long legs.

“Majesty,” he called out. It appeared as though she did not want to stop in her tracks or respond to him, so he had to pull her back by her sleeve even though it was clearly against the rules and norms of how people of their station ought to behave.

“Forgive me,” he mumbled apologetically and let go of her once she whirled to face him. She had tears in her eyes and could not even hold herself back to prevent the first tear from falling. And once it did, the rest just poured out from her eyes. Yifan was instantly saddened to see her like this. He would be even sadder if he only knew how she was inwardly chastising herself for not being able to maintain her composure when there were other people around, least of all the Prince of a foreign nation.

“No, I should be the one apologizing,” Seulwon insisted, dabbing at her tears. “And please pardon the Princess’ behavior. I assure you the King and I will see to it that she minds her manners.”

“I won’t take offense. She’s still young, after all. I’m sure she didn’t mean any disrespect; just outspoken,” said Yifan in reassurance.

“She may be excused due to her age,” Seulwon replied remorsefully. “But _I_ shouldn’t have acted like that just now. It was unseemly. And I may have overreacted.”

“Overreacted...to the Princess’ defiance?” Yifan asked tentatively.

Seulwon shook her head, so Yifan went on. “To her choice of words?”

“No, it’s nothing,” she lied.

“Or perhaps she had inadvertently reopened an old wound…”

“No,” she denied fiercely. But the more she tried to deny it, the more it seemed to backfire on her. Her fists only tightened and her nails dug into her palms. Of course it was physically uncomfortable and even painful but nothing compared to the discomfort and pain in her heart.

He bit on his lip. It seemed like she did not want to talk about it — which was not surprising since they were still virtually strangers. But he also really wanted to comfort her. How could he not? How could he be unmoved, unaffected by such a beautiful girl crying? And how could he just let her carry on weeping?

“Shall...shall I summon one of your handmaidens...to...err, attend you?” He offered. Perhaps if she did need someone to talk to, she might be more willing to confide in a trusted attendant rather than a foreigner whose intentions and motives were still opaque to her.

“There’s no need,” she replied promptly, although she appreciated his kindness. “I’ll be fine.”

He took a deep breath. “Actually, you know what? Yes. Yes, you’ll be fine. You will. I believe it,” he asserted, as if his sheer confidence and the firmness in his tone would be enough to dispel her fears and worries.

She gulped and looked up at him. She was surprised by how direct he was, without being impolite. In that moment, she held her breath, and it was as if she forgot that she was supposed to be crying and continually blaming herself for many things.

“What do you mean?” She asked, murmuring so softly that he might not have been able to hear her if he had not been so attentive.

“Whatever you think you can’t do or have failed to do,” he explained. “It won’t be this way forever.”

She sniffled. “I wish I were as much of an optimist as you are, but alas I am not. And unfortunately, Your Highness knows too little about my plight. That is why you still have hope, and I, on the contrary, do not.”

“But we have nothing if not hope,” he stated. “Even if there’s still a glimmer of hope, no matter how slight, I will hold on to it with all my might.”

“How did you come to have such a mentality?” She got curious, and her breathing seemed to have slowed now.

“How else shall I survive in the imperial court?” He stifled a sigh, thinking about all the times his enemies tried to destroy his will to live. But here he was.

“Right,” she replied, and slowly a tentative smile was drawn across her face. Her tears had dried now and her hands were more relaxed too. “There’s still a lot of advice and wisdom from Your Highness that Princess Jiwon can benefit from, especially when it comes to the machinations at the imperial court. Although, I reckon _I’m_ the one who has benefited the most today,” she said appreciatively. “From the insights you have been so kind as to offer.”

He smiled too. He indeed had very limited knowledge about what she was going through and why Jiwon’s words had triggered and upset her so much. But even without having to pry into her business, he had been able to lift her spirits at least a little bit and soothe her.

“In that case, let’s go back inside,” he suggested. “There’s a lot I would like to share with the Princess.”


	9. Innocents

Prince Yifan spent hours chatting with Queen Seulwon and Princess Jiwon all the way until dusk when it was time for the ladies to return to their own quarters for dinner. Once they took their leave, the Prince’s guard, Zitao, piped up.

“Well, that meeting far exceeded my expectations,” Zitao commented, not holding anything back. He knew it was alright for him to do so when he and the Prince were conversing in private, since the Prince treated him more as a close companion than a servant.

“In what ways?” Yifan asked, taking a sip from his cup of tea.

“In terms of both duration, depth, and emotional intensity,” Zitao answered. “Even from the start, it was...intriguing, to say the least. Why did Your Highness offer to let them address you so informally? They’re strangers.”

Yifan smiled knowingly. “I was just testing their manners and convictions. And how they would respond to and handle something so brusque.”

“I see.” Zitao nodded. “Then, what happened just now with the Queen? When she ran off and you were alone with her.”

“Ah, I hadn’t gotten to understand the whole situation either. She was clearly in distress and as a stranger I didn’t press the issue. Clearly, her marriage to the King is not an entirely pleasant or fulfilling one,” Yifan remarked.

“No surprise there. We all saw the way the King behaved when he was with that...concubine of his, at the feast last time,” Zitao pointed out. “Do the people here have no sense of shame?”

“That’s certainly not how I’d expect people to behave at a banquet, but he’s the King. The most powerful man in the nation will always have prerogatives and he will always be an exception to any rule,” Yifan explained. “That is exactly why all my brothers are eager and even desperate to become the next Emperor. The Crown Prince has absolutely no shortage of enemies.”

“Pfft. Of course he does, but that doesn’t give him the excuse to harm those around him! Especially innocents,” Zitao declared. “Your Highness has a lot of enemies as well, but you wouldn’t be anywhere as cruel as the Crown Prince!”

Yifan sighed. “I understand what you’re trying to say.”

“Well then why did you have to keep singing his praises just now?” Zitao questioned. “And also in front of the King? If I didn’t know the Crown Prince’s character at all, I’d be completely fooled by the way you talked about him. You make him sound so...so flawless. As if he excels in everything that he does. I don’t understand why you would do this. You out of all people would know how vile and treacherous he is!”

“That is my job, after all,” Yifan replied. “As the ambassador. And we are all too keen to do what is expected of us, and do it well.”

“But he hates you! And has tried, on multiple occasions, to have you killed!” Zitao insisted, easily getting worked up and had no tolerance for the injustices against Prince Yifan. “And here you are, telling a girl that he’s perfect and should be admired, that it’s her fortune to be betrothed to him. She might be deceived into thinking it’s a blessing, but I say it’s a curse!”

“Small sacrifices are necessary,” said Yifan cryptically. “We have to look at the bigger picture. The wars between China and Korea have been going on for so long. People are dying, starving, suffering...if our two countries could be allies instead and put an end to these wars, wouldn’t it be for the better? So, this marital union is necessary. It’s for the benefit of the people. The _innocents_ you speak of, Zitao.”

Zitao groaned. “I see why _you’re_ the one who got appointed to be the ambassador. You can be so persuasive when you want to be.”

“Oh, well. It’s better to be here in a foreign place anyway. At least I’m physically farther away from the people who want to put me in harm’s way.”

“And while you’re here, you’ll continue to find out more secrets about this place and the people here?” Zitao asked.

Yifan nodded. “You heard the ladies just now. They’ve learned so much from just one afternoon that they would love to visit again soon. The Princess is curious about our culture and the Queen is clearly resolved to prepare our young bride for all the responsibilities and challenges ahead,” he stated. “Equally, I’m interested in finding out not just what their weaknesses and secrets are, but also how much influence each of them can wield, and in what ways. We never know, they might be able to protect us if we ever need it.”

Zitao grinned proudly. “I see! The Crown Prince effortlessly makes enemies wherever he goes while _you_ try to make allies wherever you go,” he remarked. “That’s very wise of you, my Prince!”

* * *

After witnessing Seulwon’s outburst, Jiwon approached her cousin the King as soon as the meeting with the ambassador had been wrapped up. Fortunately, Chanyeol was just about to finish his work for the day and had a bit of free time before dinner.

“Did I say something wrong?” Jiwon asked innocently, after reenacting key parts of how the visit went down just now.

“It isn’t your fault,” said Chanyeol, setting his scrolls to the side as he turned his mental focus from boring politics to his cousin’s concerns. “You should’ve minded your manners in the presence of the Chinese ambassador, but it’s not _you_ that the Queen blamed.”

“Then whose fault is it?” Jiwon pressed on, trying to gauge the damage she had done and how much responsibility she had to take. Luckily, it seemed like she was not in big trouble.

Chanyeol sighed. “I don’t know, little cousin. I wish I had a simple and straightforward answer for you, but I don’t, because things are a lot more complicated than I would like them to be.”

Jiwon pouted. Sometimes, she reckoned, Chanyeol was too accustomed to being a diplomat that he had become too skilled in making it seem as if he had already given a sophisticated answer when in fact the question had still not been resolved. Perhaps it was a necessary tactic in dealing with his pesky advisors or other officials and aristocrats, but this time Jiwon really wanted answers and she was not sure how to get those answers from the King.

“Shouldn’t you go and comfort the Queen though?” She suggested.

“Why would I need to do that?”

“Well...I just think if I were upset, I would like my future husband to soothe me too and make me feel better. Perhaps I can't demand it from him, but it's just what I would like. And if he's the one who's feeling down then I wouldn't hesitate to be a shoulder he can lean on!”

“But didn’t you say she’s fine now?” He asked.

Jiwon shrugged. “You’ll find out for yourself if you go and visit her.”

“Alright, then. I might,” Chanyeol replied. He did not sound reluctant, but if he was earnest it sure was not reflected in his tone.

“Also, is it _really_ a must for me to bear children for my future husband?” Jiwon prodded.

“Yes, little cousin,” Chanyeol answered. “It’s your duty.”

“But what if I don’t want to?”

Chanyeol tilted his head to the side, mildly surprised that his little cousin, the child that she was, would have so many thoughts on these matters. “Why wouldn’t you want to?

“I mean...it’s my body after all. Can’t I decide for myself?” Jiwon reasoned. “And even if I _do_ want to have children, can’t it be because I genuinely want to, and not because someone is telling me that I _have_ to?”

That escalated quickly. Chanyeol realized he was not prepared for this conversation. How he wished that his parents, or even Jiwon’s parents, would still be alive and around to explain these things to her instead. But now, he and Seulwon were the closest thing to a set of parents Jiwon could have. So for Jiwon’s sake, Chanyeol tried anyway.

“The country is more important than our personal preferences and decisions though,” Chanyeol stated, although he felt like a hypocrite for doing so, as not even he himself could stick to that principle at all times. “If you don’t provide the Crown Prince of China with a legitimate heir, then there will be a succession crisis because then who’d be most eligible to take the throne after his death? His illegitimate sons? His equally illegitimate half-brothers? There will be so much bloodshed and instability in many parts of the country. Myriad pretenders, contenders to the throne will pop out of nowhere. Wars will break out and when that happens, innocents will suffer. They might starve and die. The whole country will be in chaos. Is that what you would want?”

“No!” Jiwon exclaimed. “But is it really that serious?”

“You need look no further than our great-grandfather. You remember how he came to seize the throne?”

Jiwon faltered. “I should’ve paid more attention during my History lessons...”

“But surely you know that our branch of the clan...I mean me, my father, _your_ father, our grandfather, our great-grandfather...none of us were supposed to be sitting on the throne. Our great-grandfather was just the distant, unimportant cousin of the King before him. It was only when that King suddenly died without a legitimate heir that the succession crisis I spoke of took place. After a series of battles and countless deaths, the surviving military and government officials placed the King’s nearest blood relative, that is our great-grandfather, onto the throne. And it was not just a matter of being biologically related. What’s perhaps equally important was that at the time, he already had a legitimate son, that is our grandfather. So, it gave the common people the hope that they needed, the prospect that someone will be there to take over once the current occupant of the throne dies. So that it won’t start a war and put them into famine, poverty, and other kinds of suffering all over again. It was a fresh beginning and since then, the country was back on track, on the road to prosperity. _That’s_ what the people want to see. That’s what they _need_ to see. As the ruling family, we have to give it to them. And it's their support that we rely on — if we lose that, we'd be overthrown. Then we will be the ones who'll find ourselves exiled and homeless. And we don't want that either.”

Jiwon nodded slowly as she listened and thought hard. Perhaps it was indeed imperative for her to do her duty, for the sake of millions of innocent people.

“But what if...what if I fail? What if I don’t conceive any children? What if my husband and I only have daughters?” She asked. “Just like my parents. The King and Queen who had no son.”

“For our family, there was no crisis because your late father could reliably pass the throne to _mine_. It isn’t uncommon for Kings to pass their thrones to their younger brothers in the absence of legitimate sons. It worked because our fathers were legitimate sons of the previous King, so there was no controversy. In your future husband’s case, however, I’m afraid it won’t be so smooth. The current Emperor of China has a lot of sons, but only one of them is legitimate, and that is the Crown Prince, your betrothed. The Emperor also has a lot of illegitimate brothers, which makes all the difference when you compare their situation to our fathers’,” Chanyeol explained patiently. “Since _you_ will be the Crown Prince’s legally wedded _wife_ , that’s what sets you apart from his concubines whose children will never be legitimate unless the mother gets elevated to become an official consort. If the Crown Prince has children with his concubines, they are all illegitimate and they must all give way to _your_ children in the line of succession because _yours_ are legitimate. So, I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to give birth to a legitimate son. But for now, try not to worry about not being able to do that. Perhaps you’ll get that done within the first year of your marriage, just like my parents did and that's how I came into existence.”

Jiwon nodded again, this time with more certainty and confidence as what Chanyeol was saying began to make more and more sense to her. “So that’s the situation in China. What about us? What about _your_ throne?”

Chanyeol winced. He knew, from what Jiwon had reported, that Seulwon had been very stressed and anxious about producing an heir to his throne. This was not a private, family matter — it had never been. There was a registry in the palace, in charge of the birth and death records of members of the royal family. They also recorded and monitored the menstrual cycles of all the women in the King’s harem, to identify the ‘fertile days’ and the ‘blood days’ as these kinds of information were most crucial to the goal of reproduction. A woman would _never_ be permitted to be intimate with the King during her blood days. On the contrary, whenever it was the Queen’s fertile days, the eunuchs and matrons in the registry would do their very best to encourage and talk the King into sharing the Queen’s bed. The sooner the kingdom could have an heir, the better. If the King _must_ bed one of his concubines, the matrons and eunuchs would see to it that this happened only on the days that that concubine was least likely to get pregnant. All this just to make sure that the Queen would give birth to a son ahead of everyone else.

Chanyeol tried his best to comply with those rules. But even if he had no desires and preferences of his own, and only acted as the sperm distributor in accordance with the calendars and fertility charts, there was still the concern of the Queen’s health condition. Having to carry a child would be a severe drain on her, and childbirth might even kill her.

Chanyeol might not love Seulwon the same way she loved him, but there was no way he wanted her to suffer, at least physically or medically. And yet, unbeknownst to Chanyeol, it was the growing distance between them, as well as the pressure on her from everyone around her, that devastated her psychologically and emotionally.

“Well, I’m still young and I’m not dying anytime soon, am I?” He chuckled, making a feeble attempt at a joke just to divert their attention away from the gravity of the situation. “We can talk about that later. In the meantime, why don’t you think about which servants you want to bring with you to make your life in China more comfortable? And I don’t mean just your usual personal attendants...I mean the chefs, the physicians, the seamstresses…”

“I don’t know about those.” Jiwon shrugged. “Just send the most experienced ones. They’ll know what to do.”

“We’d have to consult whoever is in charge of those departments to see who’d be eligible, or recommended, to be part of your retinue, then,” replied Chanyeol.

“So the perfect person to ask would be Court Lady Jeon Taehee?”

“As far as the servants in the kitchens are concerned, yes. She would be the best person to assist you with that. Actually, now that you mention her…” Chanyeol smirked. “Jiwon-ah, it’s almost time for dinner and my meal will be brought to me very soon. Would you like to stay and dine with me?

“Sure!” She chirped. “But isn’t it awkward?”

“No, of course not,” said Chanyeol. “What’s so awkward about the King having dinner with his cousin?”

“No, I don’t mean us,” she clarified. “I mean...between Your Majesty and Court Lady Jeon. Since you turned down the marriage to her and said she wasn’t good-looking enough for you...but she still has to serve you every day?”

Chanyeol snorted. “That’s a good question,” he commented slyly.

A moment later, Taehee arrived with tea. Other courses would be served shortly — this was the way things were done.

“Ah, Jeon Taehee, you’re here. Impeccable timing,” Chanyeol remarked flippantly. “I was just about to ask you a very fascinating question.”

Taehee kept her head bowed, while Jiwon stared at her cousin in disbelief. Neither woman said anything, while Chanyeol went on.

“Do you find it awkward that after I turned down the marriage between us, you still have to serve me every day?” The King asked, without shame.

Jiwon was still in shock, slowly turning her head to look at Taehee. When the Princess raised that question, she had meant for it to be discussed between her and the King only, in private. But Chanyeol really went and did whatever he wanted…

“As long as it isn’t awkward for Your Majesty, it isn’t awkward for someone as unimportant as a servant like me either,” Taehee answered without showing the slightest bit of discomfort. “Unless...Your Majesty finds it awkward? That my presence makes Your Majesty uncomfortable?”

Jiwon’s jaw dropped. She was utterly impressed with the way Taehee handled Chanyeol’s question.

“No, no, not at all.” Chanyeol laughed. “In fact, I quite enjoy your…service.” He licked his lips and deliberated over his choice of words. “No doubt you are very eager to serve and please your King.”

It was obvious to Taehee that he was trying to taunt her. Stifling the urge to roll her eyes, she replied, “I will let the servants know that the Princess will be dining here tonight.”

Then she bowed and turned on her heel, and only when she was out of earshot did the Princess dare resume her conversation with the King.


	10. Rise & Fall

King Chanyeol’s daily meetings with his council would usually take up the entire morning, sometimes overrunning into the afternoon if there were pressing matters to be addressed. But there were also rare occasions when the meeting would end early, such as today. There was not a lot to discuss, especially since there were some reports from regional governments that were still on their way to the royal court for the King and his council to review. So the meeting was adjourned, to everyone’s delight. And it seemed the King was also more in the mood for leisurely, artistic pursuits than for politics anyway. It had always been this way.

As the King’s advisors dispersed, Baekhyun wondered how he could make good use of the free time that he did not think he would have. His thoughts soon darted to his beloved Hera and he wondered when he could see her again.

It was around the time of the day when the Queen would dispatch one of her attendants to go to the kitchens to collect fresh fruits for her. As she had just recovered from a cold, the physicians said that it would be advisable for her to eat more fruits these days to boost her health and immunity.

Usually, either Hera or Yunhee would be sent to run this errand for the Queen. But there was no way for Baekhyun to know which one it would be today — the girl he had a crush on, or the girl who had a crush on him. Indeed he would not know, unless he was there to see for himself.

By the time he was a few steps away from the kitchens, it was Hera who walked out. Baekhyun was instantly overjoyed and his face immediately lit up.

“Hera!” He said cheerily, and even Hera, who was usually formal and inscrutable to Baekhyun, found that his childlike delight was infectious.

For once, she gave him ever so slight a smile when she bowed at him to greet him. “My lord.”

Baekhyun opened his mouth, clearly ready to strike up a conversation with her. But one of the servants was heard hollering in a very displeased tone, which drew much attention even from some distance.

“Shoo! Shoo!” The servant kept reiterating while chasing after what seemed to be a stray cat. He had a mop in hand, although it was not obvious if he had intended to simply scare the cat away or to use it to beat the poor animal. It scuttled away from the huffing servant as quickly as its legs would take it, eventually hiding behind Baekhyun which gave the servant no choice but to stop and bow at the nobleman.

“Stop,” said Baekhyun to the sweating servant, his tone suddenly so commanding that it made Hera pay even more attention.

“Pardon me, my lord?” The servant winced. “If we don’t get rid of these stray animals, the kitchens will be so unsanitary. They constantly sneak in and knock food over, crawling into the trash and leaving a mess for us to clean up. Then we servants are the ones who get reprimanded and punished by the custodian for not keeping the place clean. Not to mention the fact that Court Lady Jeon is so strict on hygiene.”

Understanding that he was just doing his job, Baekhyun had no intention of rebuking the servant, but his tone was still firm.

“As you can see, these stray animals are desperate for food,” Baekhyun pointed out. “They wouldn’t have to wreak havoc if you would just give them some food. Giving them a little bit of cooked chicken and fish wouldn’t hurt. And some water, too. It would make a huge difference to them, and in turn it would make your job so much easier. No one would have to be a beggar if everybody had enough food.”

“Your Lordship is so merciful, but these are not the instructions that we got from the custodian,” the servant replied.

“Then _I_ will personally speak with your custodian to clarify this,” said Baekhyun. “If necessary, I will also approach Court Lady Jeon.”

Seeing as there was no room for counterarguments, the servant simply bowed and did as Baekhyun ordered.

Afterward, Baekhyun walked with Hera, who had been closely observing and analyzing what happened just now. She had some thoughts on the matter, but Baekhyun also looked like he had something to say. After all, _he_ was the one who had been waiting for her, so she let him go first.

“I’m glad I get to see you. I’ve been wanting to talk to you, as always,” he began. “You got me thinking about something you said the other day. Something you accused me of.”

Hera frowned. “When have I ever done that?”

“That day, when you were delivering fruits. When you learned that I’m a monster,” he clarified. “You were under the impression that I value my own survival over others', and that I wouldn't care if innocents have to die as long as _I_ get to live comfortably. Please, enlighten me on why you feel that way about me.”

Hera bit on her lip. “That’s going to be a rather lengthy conversation.”

“I have time,” Baekhyun replied without missing a beat. He was not going to let Hera give him excuses. “Also, why don’t you let me help you with that…” he offered, pointing with the basket and ready to carry it for her.

“No, you shouldn’t be doing a servant’s work,” she insisted.

“I don’t want you to get tired.”

“I’m not a weak, fragile little thing,” she stated. “I’m skilled in martial arts, which you probably already know since you’re a monster and you know everything, even things you’re not supposed to know.”

“Fine,” Baekhyun chirped. “I’m not going to let you do a _servant’s work_ once you become my wife anyway.”

Hera gasped at his audacity. “I didn’t even say yes to your suit!”

“But have you been thinking about it?” Baekhyun laughed at his boldness. “You said you would.”

“Yes,” she answered honestly. “I have. But I haven’t come to a decision yet.”

Baekhyun nodded. “Just let me know when you’ve made up your mind. I will be waiting for you.”

“I will,” she assured him. “As for what you wanted to know...about my ‘accusation’...as far as I recall, you didn’t disagree while we were having that conversation. So, does that imply you reckon there’s some truth in what I said, too?”

“To some degree, perhaps,” he answered vaguely. “I’m more interested in hearing _your_ explanation though. So, please.”

Hera took a deep breath and began.

It all started some years ago, when the rivalry between the most influential aristocratic clans was at its peak. The strongest clans were the Hwangbo clan which was the Queen’s family, the Byun clan which was Baekhyun’s family, as well as the Lee clan. For many years, each clan had its own way of thriving. The Byun clan had always prioritized their mercenary motives, inclined to ally with whichever clan can give them the most benefit, and would switch allegiance whenever the circumstances changed. On the other hand, the Hwangbo clan and the Lee clan were sworn enemies.

The competition between these two clans was intense on various levels. The men from each clan fought one another for powerful positions in the government and in the military, while the women had their eyes set on the then-vacant position of the Crown Prince’s official consort. At that time, Chanyeol was still the Crown Prince and he was still unmarried. His royal parents were deliberating over which noblewoman in the kingdom would be most suitable as Chanyeol’s wife and the future Queen. It was going to be either Seulwon from the Hwangbo clan or one of the eligible ladies from the Lee clan.

The Hwangbo clan had been plotting for quite some time to get rid of the entire Lee clan altogether. To do so, they had been digging up evidence about the crimes that various members of the Lee clan had committed, and they found proof of their fraud as they had been stealing money that the government was supposed to send to other parts of the country.

However, the Byun clan got implicated in this mess as they also accepted a slew of payoffs from the Lee clan, under the table. Baekhyun was not personally involved in these transactions, but if the Byun clan got exposed and penalized, it was very likely that Baekhyun would be dragged into this mess as well.

So the Byun clan had to find a way to save their own asses, and they decided to betray their accomplices in the Lee clan. When confronted by the King, the Byun clan laid the blame on the Lee clan entirely. Most of the evidence provided by the Hwangbo clan pointed directly to the Lee clan, so the Byun clan’s involvement was debatable judging purely from the evidence presented. The King had some suspicions, but as the Byun clan also made the smart move of donating a huge sum of money to fund the construction of a few temples and libraries, the King decided to turn a blind eye to it. So in the end the Byun clan got away with it, but the King decided that the entire Lee clan would be executed for treason, even their children.

It was through Seulwon that Hera got to know about all of this. Hera was aghast at the news of sending innocent children to their deaths, but there was nothing she could do about it, nor would Seulwon say or do anything against the wishes of her uncles who kept the Hwangbo clan prospering. They were most eager to see the Lee clan fall, especially when it facilitated their rise.

At the same time, the Byun clan also became more important in the King’s council, taking up more influential posts and playing a crucial role in policymaking processes. Baekhyun was not yet a part of the council during the reign of the previous King, but his friendship with Chanyeol the Crown Prince was no secret. If Baekhyun tried to talk Chanyeol into sparing the children of the Lee clan, Chanyeol could have also done the same with his father the King, so those innocent children might have stood a chance. But Baekhyun did not intervene, which made Hera believe that he was selfish.

“So that’s what made you think of me as a heartless person?” Baekhyun asked afterward. “That I’m not using my power and influence to do good?”

“You certainly aren’t the epitome of benevolence,” Hera replied somewhat sardonically.

“How do you know for sure I didn’t exert my influence over the Crown Prince though?” He pressed on, determined to challenge Hera’s preconceptions about him. “Don’t forget that all of this happened just prior to the Crown Prince’s betrothal. Once the Lee clan had fallen, Hwangbo Seulwon was confirmed to become the Crown Prince’s official wife and consort. And what would the ruling family do, as per tradition, whenever there was going to be a royal wedding coming up?”

“They pray, of course,” Hera answered. “To ask the gods to bless the new couple.”

“Indeed. And one of the ways to appease the gods is to show mercy, just as previous rulers have done. For instance, prisoners might get to finish their sentences early on good behavior. Servants within the palace might get some extra benefits; some of them might be allowed to retire from their service and return to their hometowns to get married, start a family and so forth,” Baekhyun explained. “I suggested to the Crown Prince that he could take this chance to ask for the Lee children to be spared.”

“Obviously, the late King did not agree,” Hera pointed out, not at all pleased even though she knew there was nothing she could do about it.

“True. His Majesty only put the execution on hold for a while, and then some time after the wedding, all of them got beheaded anyway. And His Majesty had a very good reason for it.”

“You’re going to defend him and justify his cruelty?!” Hera almost exclaimed, glaring at Baekhyun. “You know, if you’re trying to change the way I feel about you — at this rate you’re just going to make me dislike you and I don’t think that’s what you want.”

Calmly, Baekhyun went on. “It wasn’t an unreasonable decision, Hera. Several decades ago, the Lee clan also committed treason — at that time it was our current King’s grandfather who was King. He had the whole clan beheaded too, but the children were spared. And you know what that resulted in? The children did not learn from their ancestors’ mistakes. They grew up to be treasonous, corrupt government officials. So why should they be given a second chance? They should pay for the crimes.”

Hera was silent for a moment. When she finally spoke, she said, “then I can understand why you think it’s a _justifiable_ decision. I do wish it didn’t have to be this way, though.”

“What I’m trying to say is that I might be in a position of authority, but I’m not omnipotent, and I don't hold _all_ the decision-making power,” Baekhyun replied. “The same way you have witchcraft as your biggest weapon, but you also said it yourself that not everything can be fixed by magic.”

“So...perhaps I shouldn’t have held a grudge against you…” her voice trailed off, and once again a pang of guilt arose in her chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you _did_ try to intervene. All along I just assumed that you _could’ve_ intervened but simply didn’t, since you’re a member of the clan that catalyzed the downfall of the Lee clan.”

“I do wish you wouldn’t make assumptions about me,” he said. “Would it be too much to ask if I say I would like you to take the time to _actually_ get to know me? And I mean the real me, who I _truly_ am, not just the monster you’ve constructed in your mind.”

Hera sighed. “I owe you at least that much, don’t I?”

“Well, I don’t want you to think of it that way either.” He licked his lips. “I doubt you’d be very motivated if you thought of it as a _debt_ to me. Can we be more romantic than that?”

Towards the end of his sentence, he was grinning. She was surprised by that, surprised that he was not the least bit angry with her even though she had misjudged him all along. He was willing to give her a chance to explain herself so the least she could do was to give him a chance as well. That was where her thoughts were leading her. But then she still ended up at the point where she felt like it was something she owed him.

Hera could only chuckle hesitantly. “I'm not sure I know how to be romantic.”

“I do though. So you don't have to worry about that.” Baekhyun giggled. “I just need you to base your opinion on me on my actions, not on hearsay. Don’t fill in the blanks using your presumptions of what I must’ve done or what I didn’t do. See for yourself. I may be a wholly different person than the one you think you know.” He winked. “And I’ve proven that to you on more than one occasion already.”

She took a moment to think more thoroughly about what he said. Over their most recent encounters, he had revealed to her a lot of things about him that she was wrong about: the action he took to rescue Princess Jiwon some time ago, his indirect involvement in the undoing of the Lee clan, and the conclusion she had jumped to about his cruelty and selfishness. On the other hand what she had _seen_ for herself was that he was capable of kindness, like what he did in defense of the stray cat just now. Indeed she had been making premature judgments about him and it was not fair to him.

Inevitably, she had become more and more curious about what he was really like, and the sides of him that she had not yet gotten to know. She also had to decide whether or not she was going to accept his offer of a courtship. Then, how was she supposed to come to a decision if she knew so little about his personality?

“You have a point. I want to get to know you better,” she declared.

“That's very straightforward of you,” he said wittily, quoting her words from their previous conversation. “Finally have the time and interest to think about courtships whatsoever?”

She giggled at the way he teased her fondly. Perhaps she should be afraid of how much impact he had on her, but somehow she was not. This could only mean that her heart had come to accept him, at least in part, which was a good start.

“I have to go,” she said, grinning. There was only a small path left and then she would arrive at the Queen’s quarters. “Although I’m sure you wouldn’t have any problem creating an opportunity for us to meet again, right?”

“For once, Hera,” he replied breezily. “You’re right about me.”


	11. Matchmaker

Although Chanyeol and his advisors had mixed perceptions and opinions about how to proceed with their negotiations with China, the world was bigger than just these two countries. There was a small vassal state that got merged with Korea a few generations ago, and it was that time of the year again when Chanyeol would receive tribute from them. Trucks of expensive silk, gemstones, accessories, and other goods got sent into the palace. Chanyeol was pleased with this year’s collection and praised the quality of these items. It put him in a good mood and when the King was in a good mood the rest of the palace would be in a good mood too.

Chanyeol took his picks and then said to the eunuch who attended him, “present these accessories to my cousin the Princess. Let her choose and take all that she wants, and then send the rest to the Queen. I’ll let her decide how much to distribute to the rest of my harem; she can do whatever she wants with these.”

 _Seulwon is the head of my household after all,_ thought Chanyeol to himself _. If I bypass her and directly give these to Seojung before everybody else in the harem, the news will spread to my advisors and I’ll never hear the end of it. It's not like they don't lecture me and nag at enough already. Besides, the Queen’s clan is full of influential nobles, politicians, and military leaders that I would be wise to not offend. So, these will have to go to Seulwon before anyone else. And Seojung will simply have to remain just as the Queen of my heart and not of my country._

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The eunuch bowed and ordered a team of servants to carry the heavy boxes to the Princess’ quarters just as the King had commanded.

After Jiwon, it was the Queen’s turn.

Seulwon smiled heartily once she saw all these goods. It was not these material items that made her smile, per se, but the implication that the King had not completely forgotten about her.

“Your Majesty,” said the eunuch who kept the King’s instructions in mind. “His Majesty mentioned that you may take all that you like from these.”

Seulwon nodded. “His Majesty is very kind,” she replied. “However,” she then added. “There isn’t anything I’d like to keep.”

The eunuch exchanged glances with his subordinates, then said, “we await Your Majesty’s instructions on what to do with the remaining items.”

“Place them in one of the utility halls in the palace. Arrange for the King’s concubines to visit and take their picks one by one, according to their rank in the harem. Each of them may take one item. No more than that,” Seulwon announced. When she was not ill, her queenly aura was not weak, especially when she was in a position of command and she was reminded that there were lots of resources — manpower and otherwise — at her disposal. These were privileges, prerogatives, that other concubines could never share. Even if the King desired it, the law would not allow it. And no one was above the law.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the servants chorused.

“As for what remains after that, sell them,” she went on. Her motives remained a mystery to the servants in front of her who were very curious but were also not allowed to question a royal. “I want a clear record of the earnings. Report to me as soon as that’s done.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” they repeated, and then did as they were told.

As there was no need for her to explain herself, she carried on with the rest of her day. She was still in a good mood, thanks to the King’s kind gesture earlier. It made her happy whenever he thought of her. In a positive light, of course.

She then decided that it was important for her to encourage the King to think of her more often. Once she had an idea, she beckoned her two handmaidens over to her, and they proceeded to the kitchens.

* * *

By nightfall, Chanyeol had forgotten about the fine silks and jewels that he had received and inspected this morning. Once he finished his dinner, his favorite Court Lady Jeon Taehee took the plates and cutlery away. She then refilled the King’s cup with his favorite tea, just doing her job and hoping Chanyeol would keep his mouth shut.

To her frustration, he did not.

“The meal feels rather light today,” Chanyeol commented, patting his stomach. “Jeon Taehee, would you like to explain why?”

“The Queen instructed us to prepare slightly less than Your Majesty usually eats for dinner,” Taehee explained.

“The Queen?” Chanyeol frowned slightly, in confusion and surprise rather than in disapproval.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” said Taehee, who then turned around and nodded at the eunuch stationed at the door. Chanyeol could not see what was going on outside just yet, until the eunuch beckoned someone over. And then Hera walked in, bowing and greeting the King formally.

“Majesty, I am here to deliver some coconut pudding that the Queen made today,” Hera announced. Stepping forward, she handed a box to Taehee who then placed it onto the King’s dining table. She lifted the cover to take out the dish from inside the box and then served it to the King.

Chanyeol grinned at his dessert. “Very thoughtful of the Queen,” he remarked, finishing it in no time because it tasted so good. “I love it!”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I will most certainly convey this to the Queen,” Hera replied.

Taehee then cleared the table and exited the hall, while Chanyeol motioned for Hera to stay. There was something he wanted to talk to her about.

“What is your relationship with Lord Baekhyun?” The King asked.

Hera was taken aback. She did not at all expect that the King would be invested in these matters, but since he asked her a question, she was obligated to answer truthfully.

“His Lordship and I are not close,” she replied. “If and when I do run into him, most of the time it’s while I’m running errands for the Queen, which requires me to go to different parts of the palace.”

Chanyeol nodded. “I’m asking you this because for the longest time, I thought he would ask me for you, but he hasn't yet."

Hera stiffened. What did the King mean? She had been trying to refrain from jumping to conclusions, but did this mean that the _King_ was also expecting that Baekhyun would ask for royal permission to...marry her?

Chanyeol offered no further explanation. He only smirked mysteriously as he rose to his feet. He approached a shelf next to the wall and took out a small box, no larger than the size of his palm. He handed it to Hera and said, “I was going to find the occasion to give this to you, but since you're here now, I want you to have this. But don’t open it until you’re alone.”

Hera was even more confused now, even though she did not dare disobey the King.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” she said hesitantly. “Thank you.”

* * *

Hera did not have the chance to open the box until the next morning. She thought that she would find some answers to her many questions once she opened it, but when she did, she only had even more questions.

Inside the box, there was only one earring. It was a beautiful jade earring, but its twin was missing. Was this a mistake, or was the King doing this on purpose?

Hera wondered if she ought to wear it, even though it was going to look so weird. Technically, the King did not instruct her to wear it. But then she might run into the King at some point...anywhere, any time. Would it be disrespectful if she was in his sights and he saw that she was not wearing this sole earring that he had given to her?

Sighing, Hera decided to wear it anyway. She was bound to receive awkward glances from whoever took notice of this asymmetry, but it was better to feel embarrassed than to incur the King’s wrath.

* * *

After the daily meeting with the council, it was time for the King to have lunch. This time, he was dining with his best friend.

“So,” Chanyeol began. “Have you decided on a wife yet?"

There was a moment of hesitation before Baekhyun spoke. “Not really, Majesty.”

Chanyeol guffawed. “Are you sure?”

“I just haven’t given it much thought…” Baekhyun replied, still hesitant.

“Hmm. Well, I on the other hand am thinking about inviting some more women into my harem,” Chanyeol revealed.

“Oh? I thought Your Majesty was head over heels with Concubine Lim,” Baekhyun commented. “As far as I recall, she’s just been in your harem for a couple of months, and already she's the highest-ranking concubine. Among all your women, only the Queen is above her.”

“Of course I'm in love with Seojung,” Chanyeol clarified. “But I have needs that she can't always be available to fulfill. What else am I supposed to do when it's the blood days of her cycle?”

Baekhyun cleared his throat, not expecting this topic to come up while they were eating. But if that was what the King wished to discuss, then Baekhyun would oblige.

“What did Your Majesty do when it was the same time last month?” He asked.

“Why, _suffer_ , of course,” Chanyeol answered. “What did you expect?”

Baekhyun chortled. “And the remaining women in your harem were utterly incapable of pleasing you in any remote way?”

Chanyeol shrugged. “I don't feel any interest in them anymore, let alone attraction. I can't comprehend why I ever desired to bring them into my harem. Sure, half of them I wedded and bedded purely because each aristocratic clan was supposed to send at least one of their daughters into my harem, but even those that I used to find pretty…” he shook his head and sighed. “They're like mud now; they’re like dry, decaying, withering grass next to the beautiful blooming flower that Seojung is.”

“That's harsh, Your Majesty,” Baekhyun remarked, although of course he was not in the position to be admonishing the King.

“Eh, well,” Chanyeol replied dryly. “Life has not been the same ever since I met Seojung. When I don't get to hold her in my arms, _nothing_ feels right. Absolutely nothing.”

“As Your Majesty’s friend, I have no objections to your decision to expand your harem, should it please you. Although...others will inevitably object to it,” Baekhyun pointed out.

“Ugh, don't remind me.” Chanyeol grimaced. “My advisors will always have something to say, about anything and everything. They just keep stressing me out. Let me live! I just wanna enjoy my life.”

“I’m sure they’re just concerned about the future of the kingdom,” said Baekhyun.

“Of course. But they never put themselves in my shoes. The constant pressure to produce an heir just makes me even less inclined to lay with the Queen. Besides, I don't want her to exert herself until the physicians confirm that her health condition would permit child-bearing. What am I supposed to do if what happens to our first child happens again? So, in light of all that, I suppose I can only count on someone new,” Chanyeol explained.

“And does Your Majesty have anybody in mind?”

“I'm not sure. I could take my pick within the palace, I suppose. Many maids would be willing to offer themselves to me simply because I'm the King. If I'm feeling lazy, I could just choose someone easy and accessible. For instance, one of the Queen's handmaidens.”

Baekhyun shifted in his seat immediately. “Ah, does Your Majesty mean...Yunhee?”

“No, no,” Chanyeol answered. “She's totally not my type. I’m talking about the taller one. What's her name again?”

Baekhyun paled and squeaked, “Hera?”

“Yes, that one,” said Chanyeol. “But only if the Queen is willing to let go of one of her closest attendants. After all, I just want Seulwon to live comfortably, with servants she can trust.”

Baekhyun did not say anything in response, worried that he might say the wrong thing and end up harming his chances with Hera.

“Oh, by the way,” Chanyeol continued, once again approaching a shelf and handing a box to Baekhyun, identical to the one he gave to Hera just last night. “I wanted to give this to you. Don’t look inside just yet,” he added mysteriously. “Wait till you’re on your own.”

“What’s this about?” Baekhyun asked, curious but also slightly wary.

“You’ll find out very soon,” Chanyeol replied in reassurance, unable to hide the smirk on his face.

“Ah...alright then,” Baekhyun replied, slipping the box into his sleeve although he wished he could find out what Chanyeol had up his sleeve. “Thank you, Majesty.”

As soon as they had finished their meal, Baekhyun returned to his quarters. Once he exited the dining hall, Chanyeol giggled to himself. He rubbed his hands together, pleased with his attempts to play matchmaker.


	12. Earring

Mere minutes after leaving the King’s dining hall, Baekhyun ran into Hera. She was on her way to collect some new outfits for the Queen and so had to pay a visit to the seamstresses at the embroidery department.

“Hera?” Baekhyun looked both surprised and confused once he saw her. “You...why are you...wearing only...one earring?”

Hera blushed. She had received some stares on the way but no one had actually come up to her to ask. It was probably because they knew their place — it was not up to them to question one of the Queen’s most trusted handmaidens.

“I…” she hesitated and cleared her throat. “The King gave it to me.”

She knew it did not directly answer his question, but she was not sure what else she was supposed to say. Perhaps it was better for her to not say anything else, since that might just lead to more questions that she did not know how to answer.

Baekhyun frowned and inspected the earring even more closely. Inwardly he was freaking out, wondering if Chanyeol was serious just now when he mentioned adding Hera to his harem.

Baekhyun was quiet for a moment, and he also looked very serious, which made Hera even more concerned and wary about the King’s motives.

“Hera…if His Majesty were to ask you to be his concubine, would you be willing?” Baekhyun asked boldly, although he was not sure if he wanted to know her answer. What if she said ‘yes, I’d love to be one of the King’s women! Count me in!’ and would choose the King over him? Baekhyun shuddered.

“No,” Hera answered resolutely. “It would break the Queen’s heart. I wouldn’t do that.”

Baekhyun let out a sigh in relief, not even bothered to conceal it anymore. “Then, what kind of marriage would you like to make?” He pressed on. It was just another way to ask the question he _really_ wanted to know — who would she rather marry?

“Well, as long as the match is beneficial to the Queen and can strengthen her position in the royal court, then I would be willing to do it at the Queen’s request,” Hera replied.

“But what if you can’t stand the man that you’re arranged to marry?”

“I have confidence that the Queen will not want me to marry someone I don’t at least get along with,” she explained, and then sighed. “Still, I...I just wish I could figure out what the King wants from me. But I’m not sure if it would be wise if I were to approach His Majesty and ask him for answers directly. Also, I’d only dare wear this when I’m not in the Queen’s presence — because she’d surely ask about it and if I tell her what happened then she might not be happy about it and I don’t want to upset Her Majesty.”

“I understand.” Baekhyun nodded. “If you want me to, I can find a suitable opportunity to ask the King about it. Making good use of my power and influence, you know?”

Hera smiled, knowing he was quoting her again. “I would love that. Thank you, my Lord.”

* * *

The encounter with Hera and what she had revealed about the King’s actions had Baekhyun pacing the perimeters of his room, confused and rather worried. He was seldom like this — he was a monster who had lived for hundreds of years already! How could these trivial matters faze him?

And yet, it concerned Hera. So how could he remain unaffected?

He could not focus on anything else. The mysterious box that Chanyeol had given him earlier had to be put on the back burner. If Baekhyun had opened it, it would probably mean he had to follow up on that and he simply did not have the mood for it right now. If it was something urgent, the King would surely mention it.

Dammit. He could not calm down from this. He had spent the entire afternoon pondering upon this, ruminating over it again and again to see if there were any clues that he had missed. Until evening came and he could not hold back anymore. He went to see the King for the second time that day.

“Ah, Baekhyun, how nice of you to join me! I was just about to have dinner. Would you like to dine with me?” Chanyeol offered, smiling mischievously.

“Sure,” Baekhyun answered absentmindedly, but dinner was not the main point. He needed to solve this mystery first. “Pardon my bluntness, Majesty, but...you were serious? About Hera...what you mentioned earlier today, about your harem.”

Chanyeol chortled. “So did it work?”

Baekhyun frowned in disbelief. “I beg your pardon?”

“Why do you look so surprised? I’m talking about the earring,” Chanyeol replied. “Surely you’ve taken notice of it; it’s not every day that a servant in the palace walks around with only one earring on. Or have you not had the chance to see her yet?”

“I...I did see her today,” Baekhyun explained. “And yes, I did notice. She told me that Your Majesty gave the earring to her?”

“That I did indeed.”

“And would I be wrong to presume that it is a gesture of...affection on Your Majesty’s part?” Baekhyun asked. “That you wish for her to join your harem and this is your way of expressing that intention?”

“You could not be more wrong!” The King clarified, not sure if he ought to be amused by how worked up his best friend was or frustrated that his plan had not entirely worked. “Baekhyun, I can’t believe I have to explain this. You’re so smart and you never have any trouble figuring things out. Why the confusion this time?”

“I just want to be sure about how Your Majesty feels about Hera…”

“How I feel about her?” Chanyeol snorted. “I want her to be my best friend’s wife. That’s how I feel about her.”

“But I…” Baekhyun spluttered. “Still, you’re the King. You can have any woman I want. Your wishes precede mine; I am just your subject.”

“True. And it is my wish that you can happily marry the woman you like.”

“So you orchestrated all of this? But I don’t get how the earring plays a part in this...it sure has drawn attention but what am I supposed to do about it?”

“Baekhyun,” he whined. “The box I gave you today! Did it vanish into thin air?”

“No, Majesty. I kept it safe. I have it locked securely, somewhere only I know,” Baekhyun replied confidently.

“Ah!” Chanyeol guffawed. “ _That’s_ why it didn’t work! Because you haven’t looked inside yet!”

 _What’s inside? Why can’t you just directly tell me instead?_ Baekhyun wondered, and was about to ask these questions but then something inside his mind clicked. “Wait...the _other_ earring? That’s what you put inside the box that you gave me today?”

“Finally!” Chanyeol rolled his eyes and giggled. “Because you’re her other half and she’s your other half. That’s the message I’m trying to convey.”

“Oh,” said Baekhyun lamely. “Well, that’s indeed very thoughtful of Your Majesty.”

“Well, this became much more convoluted than it had to be,” said Chanyeol lightheartedly. “This is a travesty. Goodness, I might lose my mind before you can even secure a courtship with her.”

“I did put forward my suit to her,” Baekhyun explained. “It’s just that she doesn’t know me well enough yet so she hasn’t said yes to me nor has she turned me down.”

“Did she say she’ll think about it, at least?”

“She did.” Baekhyun nodded. “And you joked about making her one of your concubines just to push me to pursue her?”

“I thought you could use some additional encouragement, but perhaps I’ve underestimated the attempts you’ve made,” Chanyeol commented. “Of course I don’t mean to sleep with her. I know you like her.”

Baekhyun was taken aback for the umpteeth time today. “May I ask how Your Majesty came to discover my affections for Hera?”

“It took me a while, but your behavior has been so consistent,” Chanyeol revealed. “Whenever there are feasts and the Queen is present, she’d bring either Hera or Yunhee with her, and you know how handmaidens are supposed to stand behind whoever they're supposed to be attending. So when you’re there too, and Hera is there as well, you would keep glancing in their direction. From your usual seat, both Hera and I would be collinear in your line of vision. So you’d be looking in my direction but not making eye contact with me — besides, you look at her with so much yearning. Your eyes sparkle. I know you definitely won’t look at _me_ like that.”

Baekhyun giggled. “You never shared your observations with me and I truly did not know that you had picked up on so much.”

“Well, I apologize if my figure got in the way of your loving gaze,” said Chanyeol jokingly.

“No, not at all, Majesty. I’m thankful for all that you’ve done for me,” replied Baekhyun.

“What’s even more interesting is that you don’t send these meaningful glances my way if it’s not Hera that the Queen brings to the banquet. If she brings Yunhee instead, you don’t bother,” Chanyeol pointed out. “Which makes it clear to me that there’s a distinction. That you like to pay much more attention to Hera because you fancy her, whereas you’re indifferent to Yunhee,” he added. “Same goes for when the Queen is indisposed and absent altogether. Though there’s a glaringly obvious empty seat next to me, you are much more focused on eating and drinking.”

“Your Majesty has become so observant,” Baekhyun remarked with a smile.

“I just want the best for you,” Chanyeol replied with a wink. “Also, you’re not going to let Hera walk around with just one earring, right? Find a suitable opportunity to complete the set.”

“I will, Majesty,” said Baekhyun. “Thank you.”

* * *

Although a lot was going on inside the palace, it was not wise for royals to be out of touch with what went on outside the palace. And so, Queen Seulwon went on an excursion with an altruistic purpose in mind.

Previously, she had instructed a eunuch to lead a team of servants to sell what was left of the jewels and other luxury items that were paid to the kingdom as tribute from a vassal state. She had taken the time to review the earnings and then they were used to buy clothes, food, and other necessities for the poor. Once these supplies were ready, she personally visited a less economically developed district not too far away from the palace. She was accompanied by a retinue of servants who helped distribute these supplies to the people.

Although this district was generally underdeveloped, it was famous for being the home to an acclaimed restaurant which served very good wine. This news had spread to the ears of Prince Yifan through his guard Zitao, and both of them were dressed as commoners on this outing so as to not draw too much attention.

“I’m so glad we finally get to visit,” Zitao gushed as he and Yifan ate and drank at that restaurant. “It’s _so_ good,” he added as he beckoned a waiter over to bring another pot of wine. “Don’t you think so, Your Highness?”

“It’s indeed very good.” Yifan nodded in agreement. “Quite different than what the palace has to offer.”

“Even better than what they have in the palace! This part of the country may be rather shabby and disorganized, but it’s interesting to see what it's like,” Zitao replied.

By the time they had finished their meal, they began to hear cheers and chants from outside that were gradually growing louder. The townspeople seemed to be rejoicing on the streets, and as more and more people joined, the two men could hear more and more clearly what they were chanting.

“Long live the Queen! Long live the Queen!” The people chorused, which made Yifan and Zitao curious as to what was going on. Quickly they paid for the meal and exited the restaurant to get a closer look.

It was not difficult to spot the Queen even though she was surrounded by so many people. She was easily the center of their attention — and Yifan’s. He noticed things about her that he had never paid attention to before, like her smile. Granted, she was in tears last time, but now she was smiling and it made his heart flutter.

Although she had yet to notice his presence, she continued to impress him with her willingness and humility when interacting with her subjects. She was the most powerful woman in the kingdom and she _could_ walk around with her nose in the air if she wanted to, but there was no arrogance in the way she carried herself. It was evident to Yifan that she did not think of herself as superior to her subjects, and her actions reflected as much. She was here to serve the people, not to boss them around or to give them edicts. No wonder she earned their respect and was so popular with them.

As Yifan looked on, gradually he found himself smiling too. He observed the way Seulwon let the children touch and play with her headdress even though her guards still remained vigilant. She also listened patiently to what the elderly had to say to her, and went to eye level with the handicapped who had to rely on wheelchairs.

Yifan was mesmerized. And Zitao would have to be blind to not pick up on that.

“Your Highness,” Zitao piped up. “Shall we go and greet the Queen?”


	13. Intellectuals

Yifan did eventually approach Seulwon, but only when she was finished with what she came here to do.

“Your Highness,” said Seulwon cheerfully. “I hadn’t expected to run into you here. And in this attire.”

As soon as Zitao stepped up and explained what they were here to do and why they were dressed like this, Seulwon grinned.

“I see. Well, perhaps we could return to the palace together,” she suggested.

“Ah, not just yet, if it pleases Your Majesty,” Zitao replied sheepishly. “I still want to...see if I can purchase a few pots of wine and bring them back to the palace…if Your Highness would allow that?”

“Certainly,” said Yifan, who could tell just from one look at Zitao that his trusted guard was creating an opportunity for him and the Queen to continue their one-on-one conversation.

And so, the two of them walked together to a quieter part of the streets, the Queen’s handmaiden and guards trailing a few steps behind. They just had to be near enough to protect and attend Her Majesty should the need arise, but not close enough to hear every word of their conversation with clarity. The ultimate compromise between security and privacy for the two of them.

“If I may share this with Your Majesty, I’m truly touched by your altruism,” Yifan began. “Even though my station as a Prince is way above these commoners, kindness from the most powerful woman in the country is something I have never experienced.”

“The most powerful woman in your country…” Seulwon replied. “You mean your stepmother, the Empress of China?”

Yifan nodded. “To put it mildly, I’m afraid she has no fondness for me at all, or in fact for any of my father’s illegitimate children and their mothers. I suppose she has no reason to like her husband’s concubines, but out of all her stepchildren, I think I’m probably the one that she hates the most.”

“Why is that?” Seulwon asked.

“I suppose she felt threatened by the love that my father had for my mother. Even though my mother is just a low-ranking concubine in his harem, there was a time when he was mesmerized by her, and that was unacceptable to the Empress,” Yifan explained. “So, she started to make life difficult for me and my mother. For more than a decade, my mother and I had to live in poverty as we got banished from the imperial court. This was thanks to the Empress, of course. She framed my mother for some treasonous crimes and then had me and my mother kicked out of the palace. I think we were originally supposed to be beheaded, but my father the Emperor still showed some mercy to us and reduced the penalty to banishment instead.”

“I’m so sorry to hear about that,” said Seulwon sorrowfully, entirely absorbed in what Yifan was narrating. “But you eventually made it back to the palace. How did that happen?”

“The Huang clan — that’s Zitao’s family — lent us a helping hand. They have an ongoing feud with the Empress’ relatives, so...you know, we share a common enemy and that sort of makes us allies. So they managed to talk my father into conducting some investigations, and in the end he discovered that my mother and I were innocent. So he welcomed us back, although the Empress remained unpunished of course,” Yifan went on. “She had already secured her scapegoats and got away with it.”

“And afterward? She wouldn’t have just given up on her vendetta against you and your mother,” Seulwon pointed out. “I’m sure your positive mindset has helped you stay strong, but surely it took more than that, to survive in such a dangerous place.”

“You’re right. It hasn’t been easy at all. Especially since the Empress’ own son — that is the Crown Prince that your Princess Jiwon is set to marry — is also inclined to take his mother’s side. I haven’t heard anything negative about his treatment of his late wife and concubines, but he has not been the kindest to the rest of us, his numerous half-brothers.” Yifan sighed. “Which is why, when my father needed to send an ambassador to Korea, I volunteered to take up that role. It’s better for me to be overseas — out of sight and out of mind, so hopefully the Empress and the Crown Prince would forget about me and focus on their other enemies instead. They have no shortage of that.”

“And your mother? Are you sure she’d be able to fend for herself, all alone in the palace?”

“She’s also aware that it’s safer for her to be out of the Empress’ sight. So she asked the Emperor’s permission for her to retire to a monastery. It meant that she would no longer be serving the Emperor in the capacity of a concubine; you know what I mean. The Emperor granted her request, and decreed that she would still get to keep her titles. He also made it clear that she would sometimes be invited to attend certain special occasions if he wants her to be there, or if tradition dictates that she ought to be present.”

“That's a relief!”

“Truly. She’s just one of his many concubines; I’m sure he wouldn’t be lonely either way,” Yifan commented. “I’d take comfort in the knowledge that my mother is living a private life in peace and safety.”

“And that the monastery can serve as her sanctuary.”

“Indeed. But I’m telling all of this to Your Majesty because...my life experiences have taught me that kindness is hard to find. So thank you for doing what you did for the people — it isn’t for me personally but I’m moved by it all the same,” he said earnestly. “You’re the kind of person that the world needs.”

“I would never have guessed that you’d gone through so much,” she admitted. “But since you’re willing to tell me about your upbringing...I’d like to share mine with you too.”

“I would love that.” He smiled, and she started to tell her story.

“I have a much healthier relationship with my brother than you do with yours, and I’m forever grateful for it,” she began. “He and I have always been very close even though in recent years we don’t get to see each other that often. He’s a military general so if he’s not on the training grounds then he’s on the battlefield. He comes home maybe twice a year and that’s the only time I’d get to see him. I miss him a lot...I just try not to think about it.”

“I envy that.” He laughed. “And I’m sure he misses you too.”

“I also miss when we were younger, when we were just carefree teenagers. We loved climbing up high towers and sitting on rooftops to see what the world outside was like. We’d have a view of the city around us and it’s fascinating to see the way other people’s lives can be so drastically different than ours. Commoners work so hard just to get so little pay, whereas some aristocrats just sit around all day and squander their wealth away. I see all these inequalities and so much more...so I’ve been thinking about how I can use my position and privilege as Queen to do something about it. And that’s why I’m here today.”

Yifan grinned. Although in both of their countries women were generally banned from participating in political affairs, he could see her intellectual capacity and admired her for it, and a lot more. For a woman to have these insights, to be more than just a pretty face or a childbearing machine, on top of being a kind and caring person even though she was from a privileged background, it was very rare. She was extraordinary and Yifan could appreciate that.

“I’m glad we get to share anecdotes,” he replied. “And your husband the King is so blessed to have a wife and Queen like you.”

She chuckled, but there was no mirth. Definitely not the same spirit she had when she merrily interacted with her subjects just now. And that incongruence did not escape Yifan’s notice.

“Are you married, Prince Yifan?” She asked.

He nodded, although the brief raise of his eyebrows indicated that he was not pleased about this marriage. “Marriage is a means to an end which is usually to secure an alliance between two parties. And there are people who would not want me to gain allies. For instance, my stepmother the Empress. She arranged for me to marry her own niece so that her clan can keep an eye on me. Though there is the expectation that we will produce children, there is no necessity for us to communicate much with each other or to have any emotional attachment.”

“Indeed, I agree marriage is a most useful tool,” she remarked. “But it can also be a tragedy if the marriage is nothing more than a tool.”

“Nothing more and nothing less in my case.” It was all that he could say on this matter.

“Are you sure? Have you ever thought that perhaps your wife might feel something...more?”

Although there was curiosity in her tone, Yifan also felt as if she already had an answer in mind and was just waiting for him to confirm it.

Yifan cleared his throat. “I doubt it, Your Majesty.”

Seulwon shrugged. “Of course. Most husbands don’t know a thing about how their wives feel — this is the case for a lot of political marriages; why should I be surprised?”

Yifan paused. This was only their second meeting, and she was already saying these things to him. He had a feeling she was saying these not so much for him to hear but for herself. Perhaps she was projecting some of her deepest wishes onto him.

“And the wives?” He asked in return. “They are familiar with how their husbands feel?”

“No,” she answered wryly. “But their husbands’ concubines sure do.”

Yifan had not forgotten about the feast where Chanyeol invited his favorite concubine to sit close to him. Of course the Queen was not at the banquet but it was more likely than not that she would have heard about their unseemly behavior anyway. And Yifan could imagine she would feel disrespected to say the least.

“I don’t understand why any husband would feel the need to have concubines if they already have you as a wife,” Yifan admitted honestly.

“Nor do I understand why your wife wouldn’t have the slightest affection for you,” she replied, ever so faint a smile making its way onto her face as she understood what he was implying. “It started out as a political marriage but why shouldn’t it evolve into a loving one?”

“Because alliances can be forged, Majesty,” he explained. “But love cannot.”

“And if you must choose between the two,” she continued. “Which one would it be?”

Yifan smiled. “I would choose love again and again.”

* * *

“Did you know, Your Highness,” said Zitao to Yifan on the way back to their quarters in the palace. They were the only ones in the carriage so they could talk freely about Seulwon who was in another palanquin on her own. “Just how smitten you looked just now?”

“Smitten?” Yifan snorted. “You mean the same way you were _smitten_ with the wine just now?”

“Your Highness knows what I mean,” Zitao replied merrily. “What did you talk about just now? You and the Queen.”

“Curious, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am, Your Highness.”

“Well, we talked about a lot,” Yifan answered with a shrug. “What she was doing for the commoners. She talked about her childhood and her family. I talked about my mother and what we’ve been through. And...we talked about love and marriage.”

“That’s deep.”

“Yes, well, what pleases me the most is that she was so willing to chat with me.”

“Bet it pleases you more than having to discuss economic pacts and other political matters with the King and his pretentious advisors,” said Zitao sardonically.

“That is what I came here to do anyway. I came prepared, so even if it’s not the most enjoyable thing in the world, I’ll get it done anyway,” replied Yifan. “As for this...this ‘bond’ with the Queen...that’s just a bonus.”

“‘Bond’, Your Highness?” Zitao arched an eyebrow, very much interested now. “That escalated quickly.”

“Since you want to make comparisons, I’d be very thankful if my negotiations with the King and his advisors would go half as smoothly as my conversations with the Queen.” Yifan sighed. “In fact, why shouldn’t the Queen be the one leading these diplomatic meetings anyway?”

“Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it, Your Highness? Because women aren’t allowed to participate in politics and state affairs.”

“Of course, but the Queen has the capacity for it. She has much more insights than her husband does, on matters such as economic disparity. I’d be interested in hearing what she has to say about tariffs and red tape and land use and so much more,” said Yifan. “I’ve never met such an intellectual woman before. I’m sure there are women back in our imperial court who are wise in some ways, astute even, but not in the same manner as the Queen is. Besides, most of them pursue nothing but their own selfish interests. The Queen is different because she truly cares about her people and their welfare.”

“See? Smitten,” Zitao pointed out, smirking.

“I am not. I just appreciate and admire Her Majesty a lot. And I’m impressed. Very impressed.”

“Which is just another way to put it but my point remains the same, Your Highness,” Zitao insisted smugly.

Yifan shook his head at his guard, although he was grinning. He was not going to try to argue with Zitao; he knew what his own feelings were, toward the Queen’s intellect. But was that all that there was to it?


	14. Entirely A Matter Of Chance

By the time Seulwon returned to the palace and settled down, it was time for dinner. The timing was perfect as she was hungry. But when she was halfway through her meal, she was informed by a eunuch who hurriedly reported that the King was on his way to her quarters and that he was going to dine with her.

“Tonight?” She questioned, frowning not in displeasure but she was certainly surprised by this. Why would the King randomly think of her and want to spend time with her? “Right now?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the eunuch answered. She was about to ask for further information as this was so sudden, and see if the eunuch could give her any explanation. But she did not have the chance to do so, or specifically she did not have the _need_ to do so, for the King himself had already come into her sights.

“Majesty.” She still had a look of surprise on her face even as she greeted her husband. Chanyeol briefly acknowledged it, taking a seat right away, and she could see how tired he was, which only made her more confused as to why he would still bother spending energy on her. Lazily, he motioned for other servants who followed him here to wait outside, whereas the Queen’s usual attendants were allowed to stand by to serve her. Moments later, Court Lady Jeon Taehee had arrived to serve tea to the King, followed by the rest of his meal.

Seulwon did not need to open her mouth to ask any questions for the King had already begun to explain and tell her what she wanted to know. Once he started ranting, he barely stopped. Soon she learned that he had spent a long day of discussions and consultation sessions with his advisors and other ministers due to urgent matters in the military. No wonder he looked so fatigued.

When both of them were finished with their food, Chanyeol told Taehee to fetch some wine for him. Taehee knew better than to question it, and when she returned from the kitchens she was carrying bigger pots of wine than those Zitao had brought with him from the outing earlier that day. Once she opened the lid, the strong smell of alcohol pervaded the room.

Perhaps something strong was exactly what Chanyeol needed because he kept drinking and drinking. Seulwon drank with him too, since he wanted her to, although she was a lot more disciplined in the amount she drank — her health did not permit a large amount of alcohol intake. He on the other hand downed bowl after bowl, and it still was not enough. He had dismissed Taehee, unabashedly picking up the pot and drinking from it directly.

“Ungrateful, ungrateful, ungrateful,” he reiterated drunkenly. For the most part it was him doing all the talking while she played the role as his listener which, she was sure, was what he wanted from her right now, so she would give it to him. “All of these courtiers are ungrateful as fuck, greedy as fuck, only ever wanting rewards from me but barely willing to serve the country.” He huffed and slammed the emptied pot onto the table, and then reached for another. “Every day! I’m petitioned and lobbied and lectured and I’m fed up with it. I’m exhausted!”

Feeling bad for him, Seulwon started to gently massage his shoulders. She could feel how tense his muscles were and she just wanted him to relax for a bit. He leaned into her and sighed, basking in the comfort that she could provide.

“The only one who isn’t like that,” he went on. “Is probably Baekhyun.”

At the mention of his best friend, both Yunhee and Hera snapped to attention. Yunhee’s attention immediately tunneled to focus exclusively on what the King had to say about Baekhyun. Hera also listened more attentively, but she was doing it a lot more subtly than Yunhee was.

“No doubt Lord Baekhyun is a most supportive friend and confidant to Your Majesty,” said Seulwon softly. She continued to massage him, and realized that she missed being with him, missed getting to feel him. Not even necessarily in a sexual way, just...getting to touch him. He had never been entirely _hers_ , but to be like this right now, it already meant a lot to her. She could at least enjoy the illusion that it would be good enough, that she would not have to share him right now.

“It’s funny, though,” Chanyeol pointed out. “Baekhyun doesn’t seem to even take his privileges seriously whereas _soooo_ many other courtiers would queue up to ask me for a range of privileges and rewards. Don’t you find it funny?” He started to giggle senselessly, smacking his thighs and clapping his hands too, which was no doubt because he was really drunk. “I grant him favors that I would never hand out to other courtiers. Like how I said to him that I’d give him my permission and blessing to marry any woman he chooses.”

Yunhee almost gasped. She was aware that the King had asked the Queen to see if there were any noblewomen who might be suitable as Baekhyun’s consort, but Yunhee never knew that Baekhyun was pretty much allowed to choose anybody he wanted.

Hera was surprised, too, but she had less trouble maintaining her composure. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she thought more deeply about what the King had said about Baekhyun. Suddenly, realization hit her and her eyes widened. That favor that the King granted...was that not what Baekhyun was trying to say to her the other day, before she cut him off and shut him up?

_“Wait!” He licked his lips tensely, much like a nervous teenager not knowing how to behave in front of his crush. “The King told me something just now. He said if I should want to get married, he wi—”_

_“Pardon me, my lord,” Hera interrupted not rudely but definitely firmly. “It is not my place to know about a conversation between the King and his best friend.”_

_Baekhyun gulped. “But…”_

Hera’s eyes widened as she thought about the implications of what Baekhyun said and did. He could have any woman he wanted, and all he needed to do was tell the King about it and then it would be done. He had made it clear to her that she was the one he wanted, even though she had yet to reciprocate his feelings. If he wanted to marry her anyway, technically he could just let the King know and then His Majesty would make it happen. And a royal edict was something that she could absolutely not defy, not if she wanted to keep her head steadily attached to the rest of her body.

So why did Baekhyun not call upon the favor that the King had granted?

Could it be because he wanted to give her a choice?

Although Hera was only listening halfheartedly, Chanyeol did not care and he carried on. He really needed to get this off his chest.

“Doesn’t he know that having a choice is a privilege that not even we royals have? I’m the King, and not even _I_ had that privilege. I was allowed to turn down a marriage to Jeon Taehee and that’s partly because she’s a servant, but that still doesn’t mean I’m allowed to pick absolutely anyone I want.”

He massaged his temples and paused for a bit, only to take a few deep breaths. But then it became more and more obvious that he was far, far from sobriety, as it seemed like he had forgotten who he was talking to and where in the world he was.

“I didn’t really have a choice. I married whoever my parents decreed that I shall marry. It was an arranged marriage between me and Hwangbo Seulwon,” he said sardonically. It had become undeniable that he had no idea whom he was complaining about his marriage to — the very person that he was married to. He would not have done that if he had the slightest bit of sobriety in him. “It was fine at first,” he added. “But then...it’s not a relationship that makes me happy. Of course, I’m on civil terms with her and I most certainly don’t hate her. But losing our child…” he sighed. “It tore us apart. Emotionally. I feel like I can never establish — or _re_ -establish — an emotional bond with her anymore. The loss of our unborn baby was a reminder that our marriage is just for the sake of politics. It’s just a prerequisite, for an legitimate heir to the throne to be produced, a legally recognized successor. It all boils down to that. That's all that matters. That’s all that there is to it. It’s purely functional, and our feelings were never taken into consideration. Isn't that pathetic?”

Seulwon’s whole body stiffened and she felt tears rush to her eyes. The massage that Chanyeol was enjoying had come to a stop, but he was too inebriated to notice. Instead, he just went on.

“I tried to love her at first. Really, I did. I like her as a person, but I just could not force myself to develop romantic feelings for her. It was just not there. And it was frustrating and even a little painful for me, because I wanted love. I didn’t want to just be loved; I want to love someone too. If it’s not Seulwon then perhaps it’s someone else. So I tried again, and again, and again. I tried for years. But nothing worked. The more concubines I brought into my harem, the emptier I felt. It's ironic — the more women I'm surrounded by, the more lonely I feel. The more sex I had, the more I was reminded that it was just sex and nothing more. Love would not come to me. And I wondered, would I ever love? Was I capable of love? Did I not deserve to have the chance to love someone too?”

Seulwon chewed on her lip and looked away, wishing she could stop her tears from falling but she was powerless in that respect too. Then she turned back to look at Chanyeol and to her surprise she saw that he was tearing up too.

 _Must be the alcohol_ , she concluded. _How could a King_ ever _show that he was driven by emotion and not by ration? Society’s standards and expectations of masculinity would never permit that. Showing ‘weakness’ was out of the question._

She wanted to soothe him, but did not know how to. She was not even sure if she could find the strength to do it. It seemed like he never even knew that she loved him. Or perhaps he did not care. He was not seeking to be loved; he wanted to be the one to love somebody. Whereas _she_ wanted to be loved, specifically she wanted to be loved by _him_ because _she_ loved him. And neither of them was getting what they wanted, which was a torment to both of them. What made things worse rather than facilitated their pursuit of what they sought was that they were married, and to each other. What he wanted, he could not get from her, and what she wanted, she could not get from him either. It was torture, and there did not seem to be any end point in sight.

Soon, the King’s voice could no longer be heard as he had fallen asleep on Seulwon’s lap. Her handmaidens, along with the eunuchs who stood waiting outside, helped carry the King to the Queen’s bed so he could sleep more comfortably. Space was not an issue as the bed was big enough for the two of them. But was this marriage enough to accommodate both of them?

While Chanyeol slept comfortably, Seulwon definitely did not. She practically cried herself to sleep even though she wished she did not have to. She was hurt to hear about Chanyeol’s dissatisfaction with their marriage. She was certain that he did not _mean_ to let her know about how he truly felt about their relationship, but he was drunk and poured his heart out anyway. The _truth_ hurt anyway. Their marriage was just a means to an end, and love was never part of the equation but she had to be foolish enough to fall in love with him. What pained her the most was that she was not able to get what she wanted the most, specifically from him.

She just wanted to be free from this kind of pain. Perhaps, if she could stop loving him, if she could fall out of love with him and just be on civil, unemotional terms with him which was the way he described their relationship, then she would not have to suffer this way.

The law dictated that there was no exit point for marriage, except in death. But love and marriage were not synonymous. And love was not governed by the law. So, could there possibly be an exit point for love?


	15. Till Death Do Us Part

When Baekhyun ran into Hera again, it was when she was in the middle of transporting pots of flowers to the small but beautiful garden that surrounded the Queen’s quarters. She was assisted by several other eunuchs so once Baekhyun came up to her, he talked her into letting the eunuchs finish the rest of the work so that the two of them could talk.

“You’ll be relieved to hear that you no longer have to just wear one earring,” Baekhyun announced. “I’ve found your other half.”

Hera gasped. “You have? How?”

“That’s a secret,” said Baekhyun singsong.

“Ah, I thought you wanted me to get to know you better.”

“The King gave it to me,” he revealed with a chuckle. “He...well, he’s aware of my affections for you.”

Hera nodded slowly. “And it seems His Majesty quite approves of it.”

“Yes, well...the King would be very pleased if…” Baekhyun was not sure if he ought to finish his sentence with the words that he really wanted to say. _The King would be very pleased if you would be willing to be my wife, and I’d be the happiest man too._ But he did not wish to pressure her. He chewed on his lip and tugged at his sleeves, unable to overcome his nerves. It was not easy for him to appear calm and collected in front of someone he had feelings for.

“If…?” Hera was looking at Baekhyun expectantly, so he quickly made something up.

“I mean, the King would be very pleased if you could wear this pair of earrings as a complete set!” He said hastily. And he was not lying.

He then showed her the box that the King gave him, and opened it to show her what was inside. Eagerly — perhaps just eager to save herself the embarrassment and awkwardness — she took it and put it on deftly, not even giving him the time and the chance to offer to put it on for her. He could only blink at her swiftness.

“Phew.” She let out a sigh in relief, followed by a mirthful laugh. “I feel more...complete now. And I finally understand what the King was trying to do. For a while I was really afraid that he was going to make me join his harem. How do I choose between my personal loyalty to the Queen and the obligatory fealty to the King as his humble subject?”

“You won’t have to,” Baekhyun replied in reassurance. “And even _if_ that ever happens, I’ll be able to use my influence to intervene. So don’t worry. I won’t let you become anyone else’s wife but mine.”

“Lord Baekhyun!” She protested. “You are too bold.”

“It’s called _flirting_.”

“It’s called _what_ now?” She squinted.

Baekhyun giggled once he realized that he had used slang. “Nothing, it’s an uncommon, colloquial term that people from the countryside like to use,” he explained as he tried to conceal his smirk.

“But tell me what it means, please!” She whined.

“I won’t,” he insisted mischievously. “I’ll tell you once we’re married though!”

Hera glared at him, but definitely playfully. “Fine! Just you wait! You _will_ tell me one day,” she declared confidently. Her curiosity was getting the better of her and lowering her inhibitions. She was about to turn on her heel to return to the Queen’s quarters, ready to help out with the flowers and whatnot. But then Baekhyun piped up again.

“Does that mean you’re determined to marry me one day?” He asked loudly, perhaps loud enough for all the eunuchs in the garden to hear.

Hera shushed him immediately. “My lord!” She hissed. “This is not appropriate!”

“Wasn’t trying to be appropriate.”

“ _I_ am, though!” She huffed, actually amused but also had to pretend to be displeased. “I’m still a servant after all and there are rules to follow.”

“Well you won’t be a servant if you would just marry—”

“Yes, I get it,” she replied quickly. There was no need for him to repeat himself, or so she thought. But perhaps there _was_ indeed a need for him to bring up the matter of marriage constantly — it was not redundant because _finally_ something clicked in her mind. It made her gasp in disbelief because how could she have forgotten about the conversation that the King and the Queen had just last night? It must have been because she got carried away with the earring ordeal.

“What’s wrong?” Baekhyun asked, instantly worried thanks to Hera’s sudden change in attitude and behavior. There was no such thing as staying calm when it came to something that potentially threatened or jeopardized his relationship with Hera.

“Lord Baekhyun...I just wanted to say thank you,” she explained, looking up at him with sincerity in her eyes.

“For...for what?” He was completely lost. One moment they were in a lighthearted mood and now they were so serious. He was alarmed.

“For giving me a choice,” she answered. “I...I know about what the King has promised you. The favor…”

Baekhyun understood. “Ah…” he nodded. “You found out about it?”

“The King let it slip last night, when he and the Queen were drinking together,” she added. “I didn’t realize that it was what you wanted to tell me, a few encounters ago. But I’m...truly touched that you didn’t force me into it even though you could’ve.”

“I would never want to coerce you into anything, Hera.”

“Yes, but I didn’t know it back then. I didn’t know it until very recently...after all, I’ve only just begun to shed my preconception of you as a...monster. As the kind of monster that you are _not_. I shouldn’t have cut you off when you were about to tell me about the King’s favor — it was rude of me. Now I know that you’ve done more good than I was aware of and I wish I could’ve known about it sooner. I wish…” she gulped. “I wish I could’ve gotten to know you sooner.”

Baekhyun was taken back by her sudden confession of sorts, but his heart was touched by her earnestness. Her attitude to him and opinion on him had really improved, so much, and it gave him hope.

When he did not say anything, she went on. “I should’ve brought this up sooner, about what the King revealed. I just...can’t believe it slipped my mind. Perhaps I was distracted once you mentioned the earring. Because that was a huge mystery to me as well and has been on my mind day and night.”

“It’s alright,” he said in reassurance. “At least you know now.”

Seeing as there was no one else around, and the servants who were lining up the pots were just out of earshot, Hera kept her voice down as she told Baekhyun about the conversation that Chanyeol and Seulwon shared last night.

“Honestly, I feel bad for both of them…” Hera admitted. “But their experience has taught me a valuable lesson. It’s made me realize how painful it is to be in a loveless marriage. When they both want love in different ways, but they don’t get it from each other. Anything one-sided will not do. So…”

She paused, and Baekhyun held his breath. It sounded as if she was going to make a decision of sorts that would play an integral role in determining how the relationship between the two of them was going to unfold, if at all. He was hoping against hope that she would not reject him.

“I won’t be marrying anyone unless I’m sure that I love them just as much as they love me,” she announced.

Baekhyun let out the breath he was holding. Of course he wished she would say yes to his suit but still, at least there was some hope.

“I can understand and respect that,” he replied. “It’s a good thing, you know, that you’ve figured this out. From our previous encounters I’ve gathered the impression that you only know what you _don’t_ want, but you never really were sure what you wanted. And now, you’re beginning to have an idea about what you _do_ want.”

“I will not choose between a marriage without love or a love without marriage,” she stated resolutely. “It’s all or nothing. That’s my conviction.”

“I can give you both.”

“Yes...but I won’t take any of it unless I can also give the same to you.”

“It’s like I said, Hera, I will wait for you.” His tone was warm, gentle yet with certainty. He was actually somewhat happy to hear her say what she said. At least she was entertaining the possibility that she could develop romantic feelings for him too.

“But at any rate, if you want to give up…”

“I won’t give up on love.” He was firm on this, and he made his attitude clear to her. “I won’t give up on something that matters so much to me. I won’t give up on someone that means so much to me. That’s _my_ conviction.”

“Well then, if you’re sure about that.” She shrugged and sighed. “I better return to my duties though.”

Baekhyun nodded. “I’ll see you...soon.”

* * *

“Your Highness! Your Highness!” Zitao exclaimed as he came running into the residence that Yifan and his retinue occupied. Yifan had only just stepped out of his bedchambers and he had no idea why his guard was in such a panic. The Prince thought that he could spend the day comfortably and just relax as there was not much on his schedule today. But he observed that even Zitao looked pale and tense, which most likely meant that it was something really, really serious.

“What’s wrong?” Yifan had to ask, even though he would rather not know the answer.

“A letter from your mother,” Zitao announced, handing a parchment to Yifan who unfolded it hurriedly. He read it quickly and then immediately understood why Zitao was freaking out.

“I never thought this would happen…” Yifan uttered, and his expression was blank.

“What does it say?” Zitao pressed on worriedly. “The messenger didn’t tell me much. Just the gist of it but not the specifics.”

“My estranged wife…” Yifan continued, staring into blank space while only his lips were moving. “Dead…”

“Your Highness, please, how did it happen?” Zitao prodded, extremely impatient at this point.

Yifan shook his head and took a deep breath. He had to sit down before he could begin to explain things to Zitao.

“My mother doesn’t know the full story either — the news that she received must’ve been the version that the Emperor and the Empress wanted to disclose and most likely has hidden a lot of ugly secrets and convolutions,” said Yifan solemnly. “Apparently she was accused of plotting to harm and assassinate the Emperor’s youngest twin daughters.”

“Why would she try to do that?” Zitao gasped and asked. “Your youngest half-sisters...aren’t they infants? What motive could she possibly have for wanting to harm her completely defenseless sisters-in-law...it makes no sense to me.”

“Well, she was _accused_ of it. No one knows if she had actually done it,” Yifan clarified. “Many years ago my mother was also accused of using black magic to curse the Dowager Empress, but that doesn’t mean she’s guilty,” he added somewhat bitterly.

“So, Your Highness reckons your late wife was innocent?”

“I have no way of ascertaining the facts,” he admitted. “Even if I could, I’m not sure what I’d achieve with my hypothetical discoveries. The less involved I am, the better.”

“That’s true. But, wait, your late wife was the Empress’ niece and they had always been close, to the best of my knowledge. Surely the Empress would have found a way to ensure her niece would be out on bail?”

“What my mother and her informants seem to have gathered is that there _was_ enough evidence to throw her into prison, and while she was incarcerated it seemed she had committed suicide. Whether or not it was because she chose death over various methods of torture and interrogation…will remain a mystery for us. Besides, we don’t know if anyone had ordered an autopsy for her. It could’ve been murder, and then her killer framed it as suicide...perhaps in an attempt to keep her mouth shut about a bunch of other crimes? And the people who orchestrated these crimes and merely used her as a scapegoat or a puppet to do their dirty work? It’s not implausible…” Yifan went on. Although after some thought, he stood up and sighed. “Either way, there’s nothing I can do about it at the moment, and I’m not sure if I _want_ to do anything about it. It might not be wise for me to get involved, and I don't have much of a motivation to jump to her defense. After all there's still a chance she's truly guilty. So, if we receive more news, keep me updated, Zitao.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” said Zitao. “And also...I’m sorry about your loss…”

“No, don’t be,” Yifan replied wryly. “She wouldn’t have been the least bit sorry to hear about it if I were the one who died.”

“But still,” Zitao replied. “One night of being husband and wife is worth a hundred nights of affection. Isn’t that how the saying goes?”

“I don’t really buy that,” Yifan stated. “There was never any love between us, let alone emotional investment. So ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ are just empty titles. Marriage is a scam. Perhaps when _you_ get married one day, Zitao, you’ll understand.”

Zitao shuddered. “No one around me even seems to have a marriage that doesn’t make them feel miserable. I’m not sure I ever _want_ to get married at all. Isn’t it good enough to just eat the best food and drink the best wine?”

What Zitao said had certainly brightened the mood, and Yifan was actually amused by that.

“That’s a very good point,” Yifan commented. “Anyway, tell one of my servants to prepare my stationery items for me. I will pen a reply to my mother.”


	16. Play

Seulwon was not sure how to feel when the King did not visit her the following night. Her eyes were still rather swollen and tired, so it was probably a better idea for her to be by herself. If she had to receive the King, he might not care enough to ask about why her eyes were puffy, or even so much as notice it. Even worse was the possibility that he _would_ ask her about it and then she would have to lie. That was burdensome too.

For so many days and nights she had wished that Chanyeol would be willing to spend time with her, but once it finally happened, ironically it was nothing like what she had envisioned. Both of them ended up in tears last night. She could not really blame it on the alcohol because with or without the alcohol the truth would still have been the truth. That was the most debilitating of all and it made her feel even more helpless.

Granted, one of the reasons why Chanyeol bothered to go to the Queen’s residence instead of opting for his beloved Seojung’s was because it was that time of the month for his favorite concubine. He thought that he could still go and see her even if they would not get to have their usual fun in bed. He had dispatched a eunuch to go and inform her that he would be on his way to see her, so that she would get ready to dine with him. Yet she had been giving him all sorts of excuses and he knew that the eunuch or in fact any servant would be no match for her. He was not sure if she was just toying with him or if she truly did not feel well enough to be receiving him. Either way, he was really too exhausted to argue or try to talk her into anything. It would take much less energy to go for the easier option which was to find someone else to confide in instead. He needed someone to talk to, and since one of his attendants ‘casually’ suggested the Queen, he agreed without a second thought.

Tonight, however, Chanyeol was not going to accept any excuses. He missed Seojung even though it had only been a couple days since they last saw each other. He had grown so attached to her even though they had only known each other for a couple months. He had never bonded — physically and emotionally — with anyone within such a short period of time. Seojung was so special and he loved it.

“The King is here,” Seojung’s attendant announced, trying to drop the hint that Seojung ought to get ready to receive the King. Seojung knew it but she had no intention of doing anything to prepare for the King’s visit.

“His Majesty is coming,” the attendant reiterated in a hushed whisper, beginning to get nervous about how aloof Seojung was. Seojung on the other hand was not the least bit pressured; she knew she could do whatever she wanted and Chanyeol would let her.

“Then let him come,” she said singsong while she continued to decorate her mink with embroidery. “He can come and go as he wants. I won’t care either way.”

“Seojung-ah,” said Chanyeol merrily once he entered the room. He did not even look at the servants, only lazily flicking a hand at them to signal to them that they were dismissed for now. Understanding that the King wanted some privacy, they all exited the room and waited outside in case they were summoned.

“Hmm,” Seojung mumbled in acknowledgement. She remained seated and carried on with her needlework, not even rising to her feet to bow and greet the King. In fact she did not even make the effort to look at him. He was not the least bit displeased, however, nor did he mind her attitude. It was only because he liked her; that was why he was fine with the ‘disrespect’ that she was blatantly, unapologetically showing. If it had been his other concubines or in fact anybody else carrying themselves that way, he would not have been able to tolerate that kind of conduct.

Chanyeol was all smiles as he sat down next to Seojung. He gazed at her lovingly and appreciated everything about her, even the way her eyebrows were slightly furrowed together as she tried to sew intricate patterns.

“My love, I’m in an exceptionally good mood today,” he began, confident that he would eventually be able to draw her attention even though she was toying with him right now and not willing to even take a look at him. “I’ve received reports from General Hwangbo — we’ve had consecutive victories near the Peninsula. The Khitan troops have finally learned to fear us. I’m so pleased and I—”

“Ya!” Seojung cut in. This was no way to speak to the King, but she was bold enough to do it because she _knew_ just how willing Chanyeol was to make exceptions for her. “I’m mad at you. Can’t you see that? You should ask me why I’m mad and if it’s because of something you did wrong.”

Chanyeol froze at first, but then after a moment he chuckled. Once he saw the pout on Seojung’s face, he downright broke into laughter. She was too cute and he was all too willing to play with her.

“My darling, why are you mad?” He asked although he was grinning at her as he spoke. “Is it because of something I did wrong?”

Seojung merely sighed in response. She put the mink onto the stool beside her seat and folded her arms across her chest.

Chanyeol let out a guffaw. This was so amusing to him. “I’ve asked and you won’t answer me, so what should I do next, my dear?”

“You didn’t even mean it! There’s no earnestness in the way you said it. If you’re going to be like that, then you might as well not ask,” she muttered. “Carry on. Talk about the war against Khitan. Talk about it _all_ you want. See if I care.”

Smirking, Chanyeol asked mischievously, “is it because it’s that time of the month for you? That’s why you’re moody? Frustrated that we don’t get to... _play_?”

Seojung huffed, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation. “ _I’m_ certainly frustrated and _you’re_ certainly not.”

“What do you mean?”

She glowered at him but he did not falter. He only grinned at her, awaiting her explanation.

“You slept with the Queen last night, didn’t you?” She questioned.

He chortled. He and Seulwon did not do anything sexual last night. In fact he could barely remember anything after eating and drinking. He had completely blacked out and the next thing he knew when he woke up was that he was in Seulwon’s bed and both of them were completely clothed. But there was no need to clarify this with Seojung. Not just yet. It was actually kind of entertaining to see her frustrated and jealous like this.

“Surely there's no crime in sleeping with my wife…” he replied.

“But you said _I'm_ the Queen of your heart!” She whined. “And in your bed! But then you crawl into someone else's bed and forget I even exist.”

“Oh, my sweet love, it’s not like that. We didn’t even _do_ anything. I don’t even remember how I ended up in her bed. —”

“I don’t want to hear it. I won't share my bed with you anymore. Go sleep with your wife,” she said dismissively.

“But all I did was dine with her. I obviously had too much to drink, but I promise we didn’t even —”

“I don’t care. You clearly value her above me. And don’t even get me started on the time you let her choose from barrels of jewels and accessories first and then I only get to choose afterward. I have no place in your heart anymore,” she concluded, turning away from him. She made it seem like she was jealous and possessive and even unreasonable, but she knew that deep down she was not at all the jealous type. In this day and age, who could be foolish enough to expect exclusivity from a man? Polygyny was the norm after all. Not to mention Chanyeol was the King. Out of all the men in the country, he was the one who was most entitled to promiscuity. Why on earth should he feel the need to be exclusive with her?

“I thought you didn’t care for these material luxuries,” he reasoned. “Besides, you _know_ what you have that the Queen and other women don’t have and will never have,” he pointed out, taking her hand and placing it on his chest. She did not try to retract her arm, which was a win for him and he relished this triumph. “How could you possibly believe that you’re not important to me anymore? That’s not true, my love. I’ll prove it to you if you want me to.”

Although she was appeased by his efforts, she did not let it show. She stood up and tried to withdraw her hand from him, but he did not let her. Instead, he rose to his feet too and advanced toward her. Using his free hand to cup her cheek, he planted a kiss on her lips. Just a peck, quicker than she could react so she would not even have the time to resist or deny him.

“How dare you!” She protested, but made no effort to get away from him. And knowing her, if she wanted him to let go of her she would most certainly have found a way to make that happen, but she did not. She truly did not; it was not just his own wishful thinking.

“I was trying to prove a point,” he said playfully. “If you aren’t convinced, I’ll try harder.”

“Of course I’m not convinced!” She complained. “You’re making these grand statements about your affection for me but your proof is just a kiss? Just a peck on the lips? Just that and nothing else? This is utterly unacceptable! It’s an insult to me.”

He giggled at her reaction. She was not truly mad at him after all but he would have been willing to do anything to pacify her anyway. The idea of pleasing her and making her cry out in pleasure...Chanyeol was turned on to say the least.

“Apologies, sweetheart. I’ll do better,” he offered, leaning in to kiss her more passionately. She reciprocated with confidence as they moved their tongues delicately against each other’s. She soon got to enjoy the warmth of his lips not just on her lips but also on her neck.

“Is this sincere enough for you?” He asked lightheartedly, his kisses trailing up and down her jawline.

“I am quite convinced this time,” she replied and giggled. Then she kissed him back appreciatively and returned the favor, nipping at his earlobe. She carried on licking the sensitive spots just below his ear, until he let out a grunt to signify that he needed more.

She understood his desires; he did not need to explain with words. As he was still holding her hand, she gave his hand a squeeze and then led him to her bedchambers. Expertly she started to unbuckle his belt and then undid his robe like she had done many times before.

“I’ve heard there are...other ways,” she said coyly. “For women to pleasure their husbands even on certain days of the month.”

He knew exactly what she was talking about, and could not have been happier about her willingness to give him satisfaction in other ways. “Then show me,” he demanded, both lust and his kingly authority evident in his tone. “Show me what you can give me that others can’t.”

As soon as she removed the rest of his garments, he gently pushed her down to her knees. Gladly, she obliged. She looked up at him seductively as she took him into her mouth.


	17. Choose Your Battles

Whilst Chanyeol was busy having his fun with Seojung, loneliness had become Seojung’s most frequent companion. The irony in that was making her shake her head and sigh as she thought about it all through breakfast the next day.

“Your Majesty, is there anything I can do for you?” Hera asked, having no trouble picking up on the Queen’s unhappiness. Hera only wanted to cheer her up, but she also understood that the root cause of her unhappiness was her marriage from which she was not getting the love she craved. It was not something Hera could easily fix if at all, and not something that magic could fix. At least not in ways that Hera would reckon to be morally permissible.

“My gayageum…” Seulwon replied. “One of the strings snapped last time. Has it been fixed yet?”

“Yes, Majesty. I’ll go fetch it for you,” Hera offered. Once she returned, Seulwon rose to her feet.

“Let’s go outside for a bit,” the Queen announced.

“Certainly, Your Majesty. Where would you like to go?”

“I was thinking we could go to the woods. I could use some air and it’s quieter there. At least the trees don’t gossip,” she said jokingly. “It won’t be too far from here anyway, so let’s walk. There’s no need to arrange a carriage.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Hera nodded. “Shall I tell Yunhee to come with us?”

“She’s tidying my clothes and accessories, isn’t she? It’s alright. She can stay,” Seulwon answered. “The two of us will go. The guards can also stay put. I just want some peace and quiet.”

The peace and quiet was something pleasant that Seulwon actively sought. She had agency in that. It was not like Chanyeol’s negligence that put her in a helpless position.

Once the two ladies had stepped into the woods, Seulwon took a deep breath. It really felt different than when she was trapped inside the palace. The breeze felt so soothing that she could finally allow herself to have a moment of comfort.

There were a few gazebos in the woods and occasionally, the palace would send servants to keep the gazebos clean. The woods were right outside the palace after all and it was no secret that from time to time not just the royals but also the King’s other concubines might like to take a walk there. When Seulwon and Hera got there, there was a servant sweeping the floors. Once he saw the two ladies, he bowed and got his job done as soon as possible, then retreated to give the Queen some privacy.

Seulwon motioned for Hera to follow her into a gazebo, gayageum in tow. Hera helped Seulwon sit down comfortably and set the gayageum on the bench in front of the Queen.

As soon as the Queen started to play, it caught someone’s attention.

* * *

“Do you hear that?” Yifan asked, nudging Zitao. The Prince had decided to explore the woods, and as usual he was accompanied by his trusted guard.

“Hear what?” Zitao asked absentmindedly. “Oh, wait,” he added after a moment. “Is that someone playing the gayageum or something?”

Yifan nodded. “Sounds like it.”

“Sounds like it’s coming from that direction too,” said Zitao, pointing and leading the Prince to where the gazebo was located.

“Let’s go and have a look,” Yifan replied.

The closer they got, the more clearly Yifan could hear the music, and he could easily tell that it was a melancholic melody. This made him even more curious.

When they got close enough, Yifan could see a woman playing the gayageum, and another woman was standing next to her. He wished he could see their faces but at the moment he could only see their backs. He focused more on the one playing the gayageum of course, not just because of the music but also because of her figure. Her waist...it was so slim. It was easy for him to want to touch and caress her waist.

Yifan shook those thoughts away and continued to observe her. A moment later he spotted a butterfly landing on her shoulder. It was such an enchanting sight to him, and he wondered if she knew it.

He would have loved to approach her, but then he did not wish to startle the butterfly or the ladies. So he waited for the butterfly to fly away and for her to finish the tune.

However she did not get to finish the song she was playing so emotionally. One of the strings had snapped. Again. It was broken, and it stung her finger.

She sighed to herself. Surely this was a sign. A sign that if something was not working out, then no matter how many attempts she made to repair something, it would still remain broken. What a poignant reflection of how her marriage turned out.

Hera crouched right away to examine the instrument, trying to see if there was anything she could do to fix it. However she then noticed that the owner of the gayageum was even more broken than the instrument was.

Seulwon was heartbroken. After listening to her husband’s drunken rant, she had been dealing with more doubts than ever. She felt like she meant nothing to him, and it hurt because she loved him a lot. She doubted that she still loved him though, or if she was just holding on to something that she had been holding on to for such a long time that she could not estrange herself from something that had become so familiar to her. Above that, she doubted what he meant to her at this point, after so many years of trying to get him to love her back and still accumulating very little success if any. There was just too much to think about, and her feelings were becoming so complicated that she was overwhelmed. It was no longer as simple as the agony of unrequited love. No, it had evolved into something much more complex and convoluted than that. Was this for better or for worse? She could not figure it out anymore.

“Majesty…” Hera began as soon as she noticed that Seulwon was beginning to tear up. Seulwon shook her head, quickly conjuring her handkerchief to dab at her eyes. Crying was tiring and she was tired of crying.

“Shall we go back?” Hera suggested, again feeling helpless about what she ought to do and what was in her power to do, in order to make Seulwon feel better. Or at least make her feel more comfortable.

Seulwon nodded reluctantly. She could not play the gayageum anymore, so what was even the point?

As soon as they stood up and stepped out of the gazebo, they found themselves face to face with Yifan and Zitao.

Quickly, Seulwon regained her composure, and greetings were exchanged.

“Your Highness,” Seulwon piped up, eager to use dialogue to override her painful thoughts and emotional turmoil. “How pleasant it is to run into you here.”

“Likewise,” Yifan replied gently. “Your Majesty plays beautifully. I am moved by your music.”

“Thank you. I suppose, to outsiders, there is beauty in sorrow. But to the sufferer, there is sorrow even in beauty.”

Yifan paused, taking a moment to make sense of what she was saying. The way she expressed herself, it was more poetic than he could have expected. Even to her, it sounded so much less poetic in her head.

“It sounds as if there is a lot on Your Majesty’s mind,” said Yifan. “I’m willing to lend an ear.”

At his offer, both Zitao and Hera got the hint and took a few steps backward whereas Yifan took a step toward Seulwon. At first she did not have the mind to disclose anything about her suffering, but now that Yifan was here and she was reminded of the pleasant conversation they had last time…

She remembered asking him back then whether or not he was married. That was before the news of his wife’s death had been leaked and now the entire royal court knew about it.

In fact, now that she came to think about it, by the time they had that conversation, his wife might already have died. It just took some time for the messenger to travel all the way from the imperial court to here.

She shuddered. “Let’s not make this all about me. I’ve heard about your wife’s passing. I’m so sorry to hear about that. Please accept my condolences.”

Yifan shook his head curtly and chewed on his lip. “Does it make me a bad husband? If I tell you I did not even shed a single tear over her death.”

“There are many ways to be a bad husband,” she replied, perhaps too quickly and too sardonically. “Sometimes it’s justifiable, though, if he’s married to an equally bad wife.”

“So it’d be alright if there’s no imbalance?” He asked. “It’d be justified if she wouldn’t have done any different?”

“I suppose so,” she answered. “These are just my own standards, though. Can’t really expect anyone _else_ to live up to them. Not even my own husband. And on that note, I probably don’t live up to _his_ standards either.” Towards the end of her sentence, she could feel fresh tears springing to her eyes again. She hated this. Gulping, she went on. “You’ve seen me cry and seen me smile,” she pointed out wryly. “I’m sorry you have to see me cry again. I do wish it didn’t have to be like this.”

“Nothing to apologize for,” he replied gently.

“Are you sure?” She asked somewhat bitterly. “It seems a lot of things are my fault.”

“Do you really believe that, Majesty?” He questioned. His tone was tender but his words were thought-provoking.

“I believe _my_ beliefs aren’t so important if most people around me are convinced that I’m the one to blame,” she said, and then shrugged. “Perhaps if I were a better Queen, a more dutiful Queen, I wouldn’t have to be like this right now.”

“And what do you think you could have, if you were a better, more dutiful version of yourself?” He pressed on. “What you could have that you don’t have now.”

 _My husband’s love?_ She thought to herself, but these were not things she could reveal to Yifan. _Or at least he would not be estranged from me._

“I’d have what your late wife never got from you, I suppose,” she replied. It was awkwardly phrased and sounded a bit mocking or admonitory, even, but the wry smile on Yifan’s face denoted that he did not mind it at all.

“You could still be referring to a lot of things though. My company? My affections? A child?” He listed. “She never wanted any of these things from me, but obviously not every wife feels that way about her husband. Not that it matters anymore now that she’s dead.”

“Then,” she said. “How do you _unwant_ something?”

“In my experience, if it happens, then it happens,” he answered. “But we are never active agents in that process. We couldn’t possibly be this cruel to ourselves.”

“Cruel?” She sighed. “We’d first need to have experienced kindness, in order for cruelty to be conceivable to us.”

Yifan could understand every single word that she was saying, but altogether it was too deep for him to grasp. It would be so much easier if he could just touch her and instantly understand all her sorrows and struggles altogether. He wished she would not have to cry, and that he could see her smile instead.

“Then be kind to yourself,” he suggested. “By _forcing_ yourself to _unwant_ something, you’re being cruel to yourself and you don’t even know it yourself. Why would you put yourself through that torment? Who are you doing it for? Who could possibly be worthy?” He almost huffed in frustration, unwilling to see her torture herself like this. “You deserve better.”

“Do I, though?” She questioned, rejecting his kindness by challenging him and the reassurance and consolation that he was seeking to offer. “And who will give me something ‘better’? Who can I possibly count on?”

In a heartbeat, Yifan wanted to engulf her in an embrace as his way of answering her question. He even took another step toward her — and little did he know that it was this step that made all the difference and saved his life.

Before either of them knew it, an arrow had emerged out of nowhere, aimed directly at the Prince but only landing right behind his shoe. The arrow missed its target solely thanks to the small step he took when he was unable to suppress the urge to hug her.

“Your Highness, take cover!” Zitao hollered at the Prince as he wielded his sword, ready to take on assailants who emerged from their hiding spots behind the trees. There seemed to be about a dozen of them, but they were not the only ones who were armed — Hera was not to be underestimated. She was skilled in martial arts as well, and did not shy away from combat. She made quick work of the dagger strapped to Zitao’s boot, and even a broken gayageum could substitute as a makeshift shield for a short while. Together the two of them gritted their teeth and started to fend off the assassins. They attempted to disarm and incapacitate their opponents swiftly, preventing them from reaching Yifan and Seulwon who were on the run.

The voice at the back of Yifan’s head warning him against physical contact with the Queen had been completely silenced. What had now become most important was their safety. As Yifan’s legs were much longer than Seulwon’s, he _could_ run much faster than her. But for the most part he still tried to protect her from the incoming arrows even though two had already landed on his cloak, tearing it apart. Without it, he could only shield her using his torso, since her figure was so petite.

It was not easy having to run when the ground was covered by leaves and branches, and Seulwon was worried that she would trip and fall. But before she could finish that thought, Yifan was the one who tripped on a branch and lost his balance. She tried to help him up even though she was trembling in fear, and even more so when an arrow flew right through her sleeve, landing on the trunk of a tree. She gasped, but Yifan did not give her time to react. Staggering, he grabbed her and led her to the thickest tree trunk in sight, hiding behind it as quickly as they could. She had her back to the trunk and Yifan’s body was pressed closely against hers. Both of them were panting but also did not dare breathe, for fear of giving away the slightest hint of their location which could mean instant death to them.

Their hearts were thumping so loudly in their chests that they could barely hear the fighting noises in the distance and the sounds of blades clashing together. Then they heard a loud yelp followed by a thick thud a moment later. The source of these sounds was near, but they did not even dare take a look at what happened.

“Your Majesty? Your Highness?” Zitao called out. “We’re safe now.”

Both of them let out a huge sigh of relief, and stepped out from their hiding spot. They came face to face with Zitao and Hera who were standing next to each other. Both of them were covered in blood and their clothes were torn.

“Hera,” the Queen gasped and bolted to check on her handmaiden, just as the two men went to each other, checking for injuries.

“No need to worry about me,” Hera reported hastily. “And Your Majesty?”

“I’m fine,” Seulwon replied, her voice still shaky from the fright. “I’m so glad you’re alright.”

“I’m afraid there’s no salvation for your gayageum, Majesty. I apologize.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Seulwon stated. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”


	18. Into The Woods

After the assassination attempt, both Yifan and Seulwon decided that the safest option was for them to stay indoors as much as possible. Perhaps the only good that came out of this incident was that Hera and Zitao had befriended each other. They had different styles in combat but they were certainly impressed by each other’s skill.

Truthfully, Hera had to secretly use her magic to aid in their defense. Otherwise how could she and Zitao have stood a chance against a dozen assailants? Although, Zitao did not have to know about that. And it was not like she relied on magic entirely — she also fought her ass off and inevitably sustained some wounds, but luckily none fatal.

Seulwon let Hera take the following few days off to recover and rest. In the meantime it was mostly Yunhee who attended the Queen.

That night, Seulwon could barely sleep. When she did manage to drift into slumber after several torturous hours of tossing and turning, quickly she was plagued by nightmares. It was tormenting to be tired and traumatized yet unable to sleep. Not only was she hardly able to get adequate rest, there was also no way for her to escape the traumatic scenes from invading her mind repeatedly. She wished she could put it out like extinguishing a fire, but instead it kept burning in her head.

The more Yunhee witnessed the Queen’s struggle with her fresh traumatic memories, the more the handmaiden was convinced that the Queen would be able to sleep better if she just had someone to hold and if someone would just hold her at night. When Yunhee brought this up, she did not explicitly mention the King but of course Seulwon understood what she meant. Normally, Seulwon would no doubt find a way to pardon Chanyeol’s negligence, drawing upon a variety of excuses that mostly had to do with how busy he was with work and how she did not want to impose on his time. This time, however, Seulwon had just stopped excusing his behavior altogether. She had resigned herself to the harsh reality that he simply did not care.

“Not once has the King visited.” Yunhee looked even more offended than the Queen was as she grumbled to Hera. It was just the two handmaidens in the room and Hera was presently cleaning up her wounds. “He hasn’t shown the tiniest shred of concern for the Queen. How is this acceptable in any way?”

“He’s the King,” Hera pointed out, trying to offer a modicum of reassurance or hope even though she looked gloomy too. “He _has_ to address this assassination attempt somehow.”

“Not you too,” Yunhee complained. “Making excuses for unworthy men who can’t even treat their wives with proper respect.”

Hera’s eyes widened as she shushed Yunhee. Luckily the Queen had finally given in to the need for sleep and was taking a nap at the moment — Hera could not imagine the consequences if others had overheard what Yunhee was saying.

“This is slander against the King!” Hera hissed.

“Is it treasonous to speak the truth now?” Yunhee challenged, clearly overcome with indignation. “I’m just stating the facts. Is there anything wrong with that?”

Hera sighed. “Just talking about this and criticizing the King will not help the Queen in any way. You better go and attend the Queen. Perhaps prepare some tea for her later on and see what else she needs. If there’s anything you need help with, just let me know and I’ll do what I can.”

“Shouldn’t you be resting though? You must be exhausted.”

“Yes, but you know me,” said Hera with a shrug. “I feel worse and more irritable when I’m not keeping myself busy.”

“Alright, then,” Yunhee replied. “See you later.”

* * *

When Seulwon awoke from her nap, she realized that something was missing.

“My handkerchief,” she said to Yunhee. “I must have left it in the woods yesterday.”

“Would Your Majesty like me to go and look for it?” Yunhee offered.

Seulwon nodded desperately. “I really hope I won’t lose it forever. This handkerchief is so important to me.”

Truly, the handkerchief bore emotional significance to Seulwon because it was her mother who made it for her. Ever since her mother had passed away, Seulwon just wanted to keep this handkerchief with her often, as a way to symbolically remain close to her mother.

So, into the woods Yunhee went, but certainly not on her own. After what happened the day before, it was imperative that she was accompanied by guards who were adequately armed.

It was no easy task trying to look for a handkerchief in the vast woods. Just as she was about to lose hope and give up, she caught sight of a familiar figure perhaps a quarter of a mile away.

She gasped. “Is that Lord Baekhyun?”

One of the Queen’s guards that accompanied her to the woods squinted and then nodded. “Looks like it.”

“Ain’t surprising, though. That’s the King’s right-hand man and the King trusts His Lordship so much; no doubt he’s here to conduct investigations into the assassination attempt and find out who was behind it.”

“Yes, of course it must undergo very thorough investigations…” Yunhee uttered under her breath. She needed to think of a way to approach Baekhyun without looking desperate, and she needed to come up with something quick. But Baekhyun was even quicker. He made his way to her, and nodded at the guards who greeted him.

Yunhee quickly explained to Baekhyun what she was here for, and then ushered her guards away to help out with the search for the Queen’s handkerchief. Baekhyun was also accompanied by his own guards and some servants — he sent them in different directions to collect clues while he and Yunhee set their duties aside for a moment to chat.

“I’ve found nothing,” said Yunhee with dramatic despair in her tone, hoping to get Baekhyun to pity her. “The Queen will be so disappointed in me. I don’t know what to tell her. I hate to let her down. She's already so badly shaken up.”

“You’ll be fine,” Baekhyun replied in reassurance. No matter what he was saying, it would probably end up sounding reassuring to Yunhee anyway because she loved his voice. “The Queen is not a punitive person, to the best of my knowledge. If it ever comes to that point, though, I can always personally attest to your efforts in looking for the handkerchief.”

“You can?” Yunhee asked breathlessly, looking up at Baekhyun with the greatest admiration. He was so charming; in her eyes he was the only man ever.

“Of course I can. You have absolutely nothing to worry about,” said Baekhyun confidently. Then he added with a wink, “you trust me, right?”

Yunhee nodded effusively. “Oh, my lord, it is such a blessing that I got to meet you…”

“You mean, meeting me here, in the woods?” He asked, with a hint of flirtation in his tone. “Or in the library, last time? Or do you mean, out of the thousands of years that the universe has existed for, you and I were somehow able to exist in the same time and space and cross paths? I don’t know about you, but to me, it’s destiny.”

She blushed. “It is to me too...I am glad we think alike.”

He smiled at her, and it was the most radiant, winsome smile she had ever seen.

“Are you cold, Yunhee?” He asked gently. “It’s chillier in the forest than inside the palace.”

When he said her name she felt as if her soul had ascended to a whole other dimension that she did not even know existed. Before she could respond, he was already taking off his cloak and wrapping it around her. Although she was taken aback and froze, she could feel more of his remnant warmth than what the cloak could offer. When she had finally processed this, she wrapped the cloak around her body even more tightly. Looking up at him, she thanked him shyly.

“B-but...won’t you be cold?” She asked him.

“Not at all,” he answered breezily. “I grew up in a much colder and windier part of the country when I was very little. Before my family was allowed, by the late King’s grace, to move to the capital and serve in the government. The climate here is rather mild compared to what I was accustomed to.”

“I see.” Yunhee wanted to know more about him, but he went on.

“I wouldn’t want you to catch a cold,” he added sweetly. He was not lying, although he kept his motives to himself. If Yunhee were to catch a cold then there was a good chance Hera would have to take over Yunhee’s usual duties as well. Then Hera would have to exert herself to attend the Queen at all times because he knew she had a tendency to keep herself busy all the time. But then she was injured too and needed a decent amount of time to heal — she technically could use _some_ magic but she had to be careful to not use too much, otherwise it would not be believable that she could be engaged in a bloody combat and be completely unscathed.

“Your Lordship is so considerate,” she replied heartily. But she was barely able to finish her sentence when she let out a yelp as she unceremoniously tripped over a rock. All these branches and rocks made it difficult for her to walk and keep her balance. Luckily Baekhyun caught her and hauled her up just in time.

“Are you alright?” He asked, his voice carrying more concern for her than the King had for the Queen.

“I’m...fine…” she squeaked as she steadied herself but unwilling to let go of his arms.

“You’re always making me worry about you,” he said, as if admonishing her but his tone was also so tender that it could not possibly be regarded as reproof. “How long have you been here already? I don't want you to exert yourself over a handkerchief…”

“Well, it...it’s my job after all,” she said as she slowly let go of him. It would not be a good idea to let the guards see them share physical contact. It was just improper, no matter how much her heart wanted it, craved it, desired it, longed for it, yearned for it with endless passion. “I knew it wasn't gonna be easy but I think I have seriously underestimated just how difficult it would be. It’s like having to find a needle in a haystack.”

Baekhyun laughed. “Even more challenging than that, I’d say. Because you could just burn the hay and then locate the needle. Or dump the hay into a pool of water and then wait for the needle to sink to the bottom. But alas, it’s a pity this isn’t applicable to this handkerchief situation we have here.”

Yunhee’s jaw dropped. Baekhyun was so smart. So witty. So clever. She was so impressed by his intelligence.

“By the way,” he continued. “I'm surprised you'd be here alone. I mean, the guards are with you, obviously, but aren't you supposed to be…isn't the Queen supposed to have another handmaiden, apart from you? Why isn't she helping out?”

“Oh, you mean Hera? Yes, well…” Yunhee started to explain what happened to Hera, and Baekhyun listened as if he did not already know the answer. He was unlikely to be able to get to see Hera in person, so if he needed to get information on how she was doing, Yunhee would be the right person to ask.

“I see,” said Baekhyun. “But normally, the two of you have pretty much the same duties, right?”

“Pretty much, yes. Mostly we take turns.”

“And you two do have some helpers, I assume?” He asked. “The Queen has a very spacious residence after all.”

“That we do. Maids of minor ranks as well as some eunuchs who usually tend to menial tasks like scrubbing the floors, dusting the shelves, or wiping the windows. Mostly keeping the place clean and getting the chores done. Hera and I attend the Queen _personally_ ,” she explained. “Like yesterday, when Hera and Her Majesty were here in the woods, I was tidying the Queen’s wardrobe. That's not something that can be left to any random maid to get done.”

“It must be a lot of work, managing the Queen’s household. Do you reckon it's tough to be in this position?”

“It does require us to be attentive and careful all the time,” she stated. “Although I suppose it's already easier to be serving the Queen than to serve other concubines, especially lower-ranking ones who barely get any attention or affection from the King. Since we answer directly to the most powerful woman in the country, hardly anybody in the palace would dare give us a difficult time.”

“No doubt the Queen is very kind to the two of you. Attaching yourself to a woman of _her_ station certainly comes with a lot of benefits and privileges. Especially when the time comes for you to find a husband and get married.”

Although he was speaking about these matters so casually, she could feel her cheeks redden. She could also remember what the King mentioned when he got drunk last time, about the special favor he had endowed upon Baekhyun.

“Yes, I agree,” she replied. She licked her lips as she decided to test him a little. “The Queen will choose well for us; I’m sure of it. Even though it won’t be as if we could just ask her for any man we want and Her Majesty will give her blessing and permission right away.”

He chuckled. “Or perhaps someone who has that choice will ask for _you_ as the bride.”

She could feel the intensifying hotness in her cheeks as she held her breath while her heart continued to beat _fast_. She did not even dare breathe, as if even drawing a breath would take her away from this moment.

“It-it’s not going to happen to me,” she said breathlessly.

“You never know.” He winked. “Ah, is that the hour? The sun is about to set,” he added, looking up at the sky. “Perhaps you should return to the Queen’s residence. It is getting late.”

She nodded reluctantly. “Must we part ways now?”

“Allow me to escort you,” he replied, as he beckoned the guards over.

Before the guards could come into earshot, she whispered to Baekhyun, “what if I were to tell you that I wish we didn't have to say goodbye?”

He grinned. “I've had a wonderful time with you today, but even something as wonderful and as beautiful as the sun must set.”

Her heart was already fluttering, like the butterflies in her stomach. She could barely find the words to say. No one could be as eloquent as he could effortlessly be.

“However the sun will also rise again tomorrow,” he added mysteriously. “Just like us. We are bound to meet again. And we’ll have a wonderful time too, next time.”


	19. Culprit

While Baekhyun celebrated his small success with gathering some information about Hera through Yunhee, it was still nowhere as good as getting to see Hera in person, getting to know her at the same time as letting her get to know him.

Baekhyun really wanted to see Hera. To this end, he was definitely proactive and creative in setting up opportunities for them to interact.

He had a feeling that it would be Yunhee who would welcome him at the gates when he showed up at the Queen’s residence. After all, it made sense to expect that Hera would still be resting as it had only been a couple of days since the attack. But when Baekhyun got there, to his surprise and delight it was Hera who was on duty. She was equally surprised to see him, but greeted him anyway.

“How are your wounds? Have they healed yet? Do they still hurt? How are you feeling now?” He asked right away, making no effort to conceal any of his worry. He needed to make sure she was fine and comfortable. “Why are you out here walking around? Shouldn’t you be lying down and resting? Are you alright? Why are you on duty instead of Yunhee?”

Hera let out a giggle. “I really appreciate Your Lordship’s concern. I feel a lot better now. The Queen actually gave me a few days off, but still there are errands to run and I don’t really trust the lower-ranking servants to get them done as efficiently and as carefully as I normally do. Yunhee is obviously much more reliable compared to them, so it’s mostly her that the Queen dispatches to various departments in the palace to collect daily supplies and whatever else Her Majesty needs. In fact Yunhee has been doing all the work today — I’m just in the gardens because if I spend too much time indoors I’m going to get so bored. Besides, I do need some sunlight.”

“I see! I’m glad to hear that. Are you pleased to see me too?” He asked, grinning happily and full of energy.

“Well, I’m certainly not displeased,” she answered with a smile. “May I ask what brings you here?”

“I have some good news,” he announced mysteriously.

“Ah, and what might that be?”

“I heard that the Queen has lost a handkerchief that is of particular significance to her. Well, I found it when I was in the woods the other day, as I was commissioned by the King to conduct investigations into the assassination attempt. So, here I am to return this to the Queen,” he explained and showed her the handkerchief.

“Thank you, my lord!” She accepted it and let out a breath in relief. “The Queen will be so relieved to have this back. But...”

“Yes?” He prodded, even though he already knew what she was going to say.

“But Yunhee said she wasn’t able to find it yesterday…” she replied, just as Baekhyun expected. “She said she searched high and low, but to no avail.”

“Ah, well…” Baekhyun could not hold it back anymore and laughed playfully. The mischievous expression on his face gave his secret away, and Hera rolled her eyes.

“Did you do this on purpose, Lord Baekhyun?” She asked, letting the slightest chuckle escape her lips. “You managed to find it before she did, but you kept it a secret from her?”

“You caught me,” he admitted sheepishly, but still giggled.

“You just wasted her time and efforts then,” she stated, pouting to convey her disapproval.

Immediately, Baekhyun whined. “I just wanted to find an excuse to get to see you…you will forgive me, right? I just wanted to see you. We hardly get the chance to talk.”

“Fine, I will just tell part of the story to the Queen,” Hera replied. “And leave out the part where you practically manipulated Yunhee. You shouldn’t have done that, you know? Yunhee thinks very highly of you, I’ve been told. And the Queen is aware of Yunhee’s...admiration for you too.”

“Ah...is that so? Hmm...” said Baekhyun. “And what else is the Queen privy to? What about _our_ relationship?”

“Our _relationship_?”

“Well, our acquaintance at least! I thought we were more than that…” he replied, crestfallen. “The King also wishes we could be more than that…”

“Well, the _Queen_ wishes to have this back as soon as possible.” She glanced at the handkerchief and sighed. Then she turned on her heel, about to return the handkerchief to its rightful owner. But Baekhyun protested and stopped her from walking away, leaning forward just to hold her hand even for the briefest moment. She turned around and almost bumped right into his chest, which made her jump and retract her hand.

“W-wait…” Baekhyun pleaded. “I understand what this handkerchief must mean to the Queen but...surely, it would not kill her to wait just a little bit longer?” He gulped. “I was hoping we could...chat a bit more...since we’re here anyway…”

Baekhyun could not help but think about how eloquent he was yesterday when he was with Yunhee — manipulating Yunhee as Hera liked to call it. What a stark contrast between _that_ and how he was with Hera, spluttering and struggling to find the words to say.

“I wouldn’t mind chatting, but here is not a good place,” she said. “This is the _Queen’s_ residence after all, not a space for us to gather for leisurely purposes.”

“Ah, yes, the Queen’s...well then, let’s talk about the Queen!” He quickly added before she could raise objections. “I’m sure Her Majesty will be interested in hearing about how the investigations are going and who orchestrated the assassination attempt.”

Hera nodded. “Is there anything you’re allowed to tell us, though?”

Baekhyun paused, and then became more serious as he began to share his findings with Hera.

* * *

At the same time, in the ambassador’s quarters, both Zitao and Yifan had hardly had the time and energy to think about much else other than the assassination attempt. It was also important for them, especially Zitao, to focus on recovery. The guard had suffered some nasty cuts — not enough to harm his organs but it sure did make his skin itchy. Yifan also had to see to it that Zitao stayed away from alcohol consumption before his wounds had fully healed. It was the Prince’s edict, so Zitao had to obey even though he grumbled about it all the same.

“What are your thoughts on this?” Yifan asked as he and Zitao ate together, discussing the matter of the assassination once again. “Share your suspicions with me, Zitao.”

“Well, of course it’s the Crown Prince!” Zitao exclaimed angrily, downright throwing his bowl and chopsticks onto the table in a fit. “Who else could it possibly be? Who else would want to target Your Highness? It’s not the first time — and I hate to say it but it won’t be the last either! He’s clearly trying to get you killed...imagine having to bow to that murderer of an Emperor in the future…” he chewed on his lip and also curled his hands into fists in fuming rage. “Your Highness, how can you still remain so calm? It’s _your_ life that he’s after! I wouldn’t mind having to sacrifice _my_ life if it means Your Highness will be kept safe. But we can’t just sit around and do nothing, waiting for the next attack to befall us, right?”

Yifan shook his head and replied patiently, “I appreciate your loyalty, Zitao. Really, I do. And of course I understand your anger. I’m not at all planning to do _nothing_ about it. But getting all worked up? That won’t do us any good either. The more danger we are in, the more we have to remain rational and calm.”

Zitao huffed. “What does Your Highness reckon then? What is it this time, what excuse is the Crown Prince going to use, to justify _fratricide_?”

“It’s beginning to make sense to me,” said Yifan mysteriously, but took some time to collect his thoughts. His eyebrows were furrowed together as he was in deep thought, trying to piece together the information that he had.

“It makes sense to try multiple times to kill one’s own brother?” Zitao pressed on, evidently finding it nearly impossible to contain his temper.

“What I’m saying is that...previously we weren’t quite able to make sense of why my wife died. It could have been suicide but it’s more likely to be homicide because in the imperial court, very few people can have the privilege of ending their lives themselves — most people get murdered before they can take their own lives,” Yifan explained sourly. “And even if she did commit suicide, it could also be because there’s something that needs to be covered up.”

“Yes, but it’s not about her anymore. We can’t bring back the dead, but we definitely have to protect the living. It’s about _your_ life; that’s what’s at stake, Your Highness!” Zitao stated impatiently.

“Listen to me first. It’s not completely unrelated to her death. We can’t get our hands on the evidence pertaining to her death, so what we know is very limited and a lot of these hypotheses are really just in our heads. But…” Yifan went on. “What we know for a _fact_ is that I am a widower now. This means that, legally, I am free to marry someone else.”

“True, but please, Your Highness, enlighten me on how all of this links to the attempt on your life,” Zitao pleaded.

“The Crown Prince hates the thought of his brothers taking what he believes to be rightfully his,” Yifan pointed out. “What belongs to him must belong to him and him _only_. He does not share. So, what is something that he thinks he is entitled to, but might fall into my hands if he cannot manage to secure it quickly?”

Zitao faltered. “The throne?”

“You’re not wrong, but that’s not the trigger. I’m miles away whereas our other brothers are right there in the palace — why prey on me when he has much easier targets?” Yifan continued. “It has to be something that only _I_ can access, and he cannot just yet. Think, Zitao, what am I here in Korea for?”

“You’re the ambassador. You’re here to negotiate trade deals, economic pacts, and lots of other boring stuff— oh, wait…” Zitao’s eyes widened as chills ran down his spine. “The marital alliance…the betrothal...with Princess Jiwon...”

Yifan nodded in confirmation. “The Crown Prince is available to make this marriage only because his first wife died. And that’s also what happened to me. So, I am just as eligible to marry Princess Jiwon as he is. It’s even more convenient for me, since I’m already here, living in the same palace as the Princess is. And I don’t think my brother appreciates that.”

“And that’s why he needs to get rid of you before you can wed and bed his future bride…” Zitao concluded.

“That’s right. And if _I_ were to marry a Princess before he can stop me, it would consolidate my claim to the throne. True that as an illegitimate son I have only a weak claim to begin with, but a marital alliance with Korea would change a lot,” replied Yifan. “Not to mention the fact that Park Jiwon is not an unloved, low-ranking, illegitimate daughter of a weak King. She’s the legitimate, eldest daughter of the previous King, ranking high in status and also doted on by the King and the Queen.”

“You’re right. If she were born a boy, _he_ would’ve been the next King and we wouldn’t see Park Chanyeol on the throne,” Zitao pointed out.

“Exactly. So, should I manage to marry her and should she voice support for me as the next Emperor, the threat that I would then pose to the Crown Prince is not to be taken slightingly. It will not work out in his favor and he’s not going to take any chances — look at our father. He was not born legitimate and was never expected to inherit the throne, but our grandfather decided to cast his legitimate son aside and bestow the title of Crown Prince upon our father instead, because of his aptitude for ruling, his popularity with the common people, and the aristocratic support he garnered through his marriage to the woman we now kneel to as the Empress. So why would my dear brother risk it?”

Zitao frowned and shuddered. “Then what can we do about it?”

“I’m not sure yet. Although I was thinking—”

Yifan was interrupted when a servant came in to announce that there was a eunuch at the door. The eunuch was sent by King Chanyeol and was asking for an audience with the Prince.

“Let him in,” said Yifan with a nod.

The eunuch entered and bowed at the Prince. Then he said solemnly, “Your Highness, I am here to deliver a message from the King.”

* * *

“The Crown Prince of China?” Seulwon gasped as she listened to Hera report what Baekhyun had discovered. “This was his attempt to have his brother assassinated?”

Hera nodded. “His Lordship said he and his team found some tattoos on the assassins’ bodies and also investigated other clues like their clothing and their weapons. And also...as Your Majesty knows, we have some informants in other countries too.”

Seulwon understood what Hera was implying about the complex network of spies and agents that worked for the royal family. “So it seems the Crown Prince of China would be our number one suspect,” said Seulwon. “I suppose it makes sense, since he’s the one with the strongest motive as well.”

“What motives, Majesty?”

Seulwon started to explain the resentment and rivalry between the Crown Prince and the Empress versus Prince Yifan and his mother. “I won’t be surprised if the Crown Prince regards Prince Yifan — and in fact all of his brothers — as contenders to the throne, and wants to eliminate them. This kind of fratricide happens to almost every generation of kings and emperors. It’s cruel, but it’s nothing new.”

Hera shuddered. “It may be the norm, but I cannot imagine sending Princess Jiwon into marriage with a murderer…” she said. “Luckily, their betrothal has been put on hold.”

As the two women continued to discuss this matter, Seulwon shared more of her speculations and conjectures. She explaining them in detail not just for Hera to understand but also for herself to make better sense of it. Hera tried her best to listen attentively, and yet somehow her brain refused to cooperate. Her thoughts strayed to Baekhyun and his dedication to simply securing a chance to have a conversation with her. He was sneaky and mischievous, but when she thought about his reasons, how could she not find it a little sweet, at least?

She kept staring at her hand, where he held her just now, and she just could not help but blush slightly at the memory. He was so flustered just now, it was almost _cute_. It was such a fascinating experience, discovering that there was a cute side to Baekhyun. A cute monster. How cute was that?

“Hera, are you alright?” The Queen asked, face full of concern.

“I’m fine, Your Majesty,” Hera answered as she composed herself quickly. She should not have been daydreaming just now. Attending Her Majesty and learning about the attack should be a priority far above thinking about a mere crush or any potential suitor.

A moment later, Yunhee returned and she had some important news to share with the Queen too.

“What is it?” Seulwon asked.

“I ran into some of the King’s attendants just now,” Yunhee reported. “They were talking about some security measures that the King was reviewing, in light of the attack. And also…” she gulped. “From what I’ve heard, it seems that the King reckons that Prince Yifan’s presence at the royal court will jeopardize the safety of everyone else living here. So the King has decreed that the ambassador and his retinue shall pack their belongings and return to China as soon as possible…


	20. Help

Seulwon had been thinking about what her handmaidens had respectively been reporting to her, about Yifan and the Crown Prince of China. She felt bad for Yifan, knowing he was a victim too. Now that he was no longer welcomed at the royal court, he could only return to his home country. The imperial court was also full of dangers in myriad manifestations, none less pernicious than the attack in the woods. She would not want him to be harmed, especially since he tried so hard to protect her that day.

She hated having to think about what happened when they were under attack. It made her anxious but the least unpleasant part of it was probably when they were hiding behind a tree, and his body was pressed closely against hers.

Just thinking about it was making her heart race. And not in fright.

He did everything he could to protect her, so why should she hesitate to do the same for him?

She was sure there was something she could do about it, to make the situation better for him. Even if it was just going to be a little bit better, it would be better than nothing, and she was still going to do it. She was willing to do it for him.

Once she had an idea, she put it into action.

* * *

“Your Majesty,” said the eunuch who was stationed outside the hall where the King discussed important affairs with his council in their daily meetings. When the eunuch saw the Queen approaching, he greeted her right away and added, “the King is still meeting with his advisors. I’m afraid it will take a while.”

“It’s alright,” Seulwon replied. “I’ll just wait here for a while.”

Suddenly, loud noises could be heard from inside the hall, as if someone had smashed a cup and some other scrolls onto the wooden floor. Seulwon jumped and wondered what could have possibly happened to trigger this.

Before she could figure it out, she heard her husband’s voice.

“Useless! All of you! Useless!” Chanyeol bellowed at his advisors. “So eloquent when asking me for favors and privileges, and now all of you are speechless?! When it comes to state affairs, all of you are speechless?! Our troops are losing to Khitan and none of you can come up with a feasible solution?! Tell me, why should I allow you to stay in my council if you have no contribution when I need it the most?! When the country needs it the most!”

Seulwon held her breath and stayed where she was standing, listening carefully to figure out what was going on. Chanyeol mentioned the troops — Seulwon knew her brother was leading troops in the war to Khitan. This only made her more tense and worried.

“Which one of you imbeciles suggested that General Hwangbo should lead the troops?” He demanded, eyeing each of his advisors with fury. “How can he not see that it’s part of the enemy’s trap? And he has the guts to tell me that we are winning the war? Does he have any idea how much humiliation he is bringing to the country?”

Seulwon gasped. Her brother was in deep trouble. His failures on the battlefield would surely cause him and their clan to lose favor with the King.

“50,000 men got buried alive, and General Hwangbo got captured by the enemy!” He exclaimed, flipping the entire table. “Will you lords just sit around and watch Khitan destroy and conquer our country?! Huh?!”

Seulwon’s eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat when she heard that her brother was now held hostage by the enemy. She desperately wanted to do something to help her brother, but she was in a palace miles and miles away from the frontline where he was. No, he was probably in the enemy’s camp now. Or in a torture chamber of sorts. Or dead.

“Of course I know we can’t redeem him!” Chanyeol thundered. “Stop telling me things I already know! You think I don’t know we don’t have enough military power to send more soldiers? You think I haven’t thought about the other borders that need to be guarded as well? We don’t even know if the General is still alive — either way we can’t and won’t recover him!”

“No, no…” Seulwon whispered weakly. She felt her knees go weak and she fell to the floor, clutching her chest as she struggled to breathe. She was trembling and she was not even aware of it herself. Surely the King and his advisors would be able to find a way to rescue her brother?

As Chanyeol fumed, no one in the hall dared make a sound. When he finally heard a voice that was not his, it was a eunuch’s from right outside the hall, saying, “help! Help! Summon a physician! The Queen has fainted!”

* * *

For the next couple of days, Seulwon barely ate, or drank, or sleep. There was nothing else on her mind except the desperation to get her brother back at all costs. Albeit frail, she had asked the King numerous times for an audience, but he refused to see her. He knew what she would want to talk about and he also knew that he would be unable to help, so what was the point?

To add to the pressure, Seulwon had been receiving letters from her uncles in the Hwangbo clan, urging her to talk the King into doing something about her brother. Just anything, any attempt to rescue her brother would be better than absolutely nothing. But she ignored them all, because it only reminded her of the painful fact that she only held the title as Queen but actually held no influence over the King, which only added to her pain and torment.

No longer able to bear seeing the Queen in distress, Hera decided to seek help from someone intelligent and capable.

“Will you help me?” Hera asked, all her sorrows and burdens and worries culminating in the frown on her face that was not going to go away easily.

“Of course,” Baekhyun answered. He had seen this coming; he knew it was likely that either Seulwon or Hera would come to him for help. Not only was he intelligent, he was also able to get access to intelligence through his connections to a web of spies and informants high and low. An unsuspecting guard, a lowly laundry maid, unscrupulous merchants, even thieves and pirates. This was why he was the last hope for Hera, the Queen, and the captured General.

“If I could do it myself, I would've done it and I wouldn't have to come and trouble you,” Hera blurted apologetically. “It's just that the Queen and I are just—”

“I’ve already been making plans,” he added in reassurance. “I will do my best, alright?”

Hera nodded. “I’m...sorry it has to be like this. I hardly ever seek you out and the one time I do, it’s because I’m asking a huge favor. I don’t want to...use you, you know.”

“There’s no need to worry about that,” said Baekhyun. “I know that you are very loyal to the Queen and that Her Majesty’s wellbeing is your priority. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do to secure her brother’s safe return. If that’s what you care about, then I will do what’s in my power and see to it that he can return safely.”

“I would really appreciate that.” Hera breathed out in relief. “And the Queen would be grateful to you too. We are forever in your debt.”

“Don’t think of this as a debt, Hera,” Baekhyun replied. “I’ll be honest with you. I might not be very invested in the Queen’s or the General’s wellbeing, but your priorities are mine. Your concerns are mine. Your wish is my command. I will share your burdens, your worries, your sorrows and joys too.”

Hera stifled a sigh. She did not know what to say to him; he technically did not have to get himself involved in this mess but he was still, to some degree, kind enough to agree to lend a helping hand.

“Are you sure there isn’t anything you want me to do for you in return?” She asked. “I know I’m asking a lot. It’ll take up so much of your time.”

“Hera, I’m immortal,” he pointed out with the slightest smile. “Even if I have nothing else, I have all the time in the world.”

“Still…”

“To answer your question, though,” he went on. “Yes. Yes, there is actually something I do want you to do for me.”

She gulped, but had no regrets. She was doing this for the Queen after all. “You...you want me to agree to marry you?”

“If you think that’s what I’d ask for in exchange, it proves you still don’t know me well enough,” he remarked mysteriously.

“Then, what is it? What can I do for Your Lordship?”

“I do want you to agree to marry me, but not because you feel like you have to repay me or because of other pressures,” he explained. “I want you to say yes to me because and only because you care for me and really want to be with me. That’s what I want you to do.”

She chewed on her lip and thought about it for a moment before nodding. “Alright. I’ll bear that in mind.”

“And there’s something else,” he added. “It would mean a lot to me if you would be willing to confide freely in me. Anything that makes you feel sad, or happy, or mad, or excited, or whatever. I want you to share your world with me. Let me into your heart.”

Hera looked away for a moment before her gaze returned to meet his. Then she concluded, “you want me to trust you.”

“I do.”

“And what about Your Lordship?” She asked. “Do you trust me? Would you do the same with me? Treat me as someone you can confide freely in?”

Slowly, he understood what she meant and broke into a smile. “I would love to. Nothing pleases me more than for us to be able to be there for each other and support each other.”

“Sounds very wholesome to me.” Finally she was smiling a little after spending the past few days in despair, just like the Queen did.

“I will get back to you once I have news on General Hwangbo,” he offered. “In the meantime, please do take care of yourself. Don’t just focus on looking after the Queen. She has plenty of attendants but _I_ only have one future wife.”

“I have to return to my post as one of her many attendants now,” she replied, looking up at him in gratitude. “I am most thankful to Your Lordship. I do hope to hear from you soon and...to see you again.”

* * *

As soon as Baekhyun and Hera parted ways, he paid a visit to the King.

“You want to return to your hometown for a while?” Chanyeol frowned after listening to the request that Baekhyun had just put forward. “Is something wrong? Has something happened at home, perhaps?”

“It’s going to be my grandmother’s birthday soon,” Baekhyun explained. “I understand there are many pressing issues and state affairs to be dealt with, and I would not have bothered to leave your side or the royal court if it weren’t something that really meant a lot to me. My grandmother’s health is deteriorating due to her old age, and we really don’t know how many more birthdays she can still live to see. So...it is my wish as well as hers that I can go and see her.”

Chanyeol sighed. Over the years, he had become sort of dependent on his right-hand man. He understood, of course, that Baekhyun was just going to be away for a short period of time, not gone forever. But it was a critical time…

“Since I’ve already wrapped up my investigations into the assassination attempt, I thought it would cause the least inconvenience to Your Majesty and the people I work with,” Baekhyun continued. “Besides, filial piety is one of the values that our dynasty is supposed to uphold, and we are supposed to show a good example to the people. So, I do humbly ask for Your Majesty’s permission. It would really mean a lot to me and my family.”

After some thought, Chanyeol finally spoke.

“Alright,” said the King solemnly. “But I need you to return as soon as you can.”

He did not explicitly say it, but Baekhyun understood. Practically no one other than Baekhyun could really understand Chanyeol’s struggles as a King, as a husband, and as his own person. Chanyeol needed a support system too.

“I will definitely keep that in mind,” Baekhyun replied. “Thank you, Majesty.”

* * *

Banished from the royal court, Prince Yifan had no choice but to return to China. On the way, he and his retinue stopped at a post house in a town that was near the border. They needed to rest for a while and replenish their supplies.

“A letter for you, Your Highness,” Zitao announced, looking grim as he paced toward the Prince and handed the parchment to him. “From the Crown Prince.”

Yifan frowned as he read the letter. Afterward, he cleared his throat and summarized the contents of the letter to Zitao.

“The Crown Prince has heard about the war between Korea and Khitan, and he is aware of the dire situation that Korea’s troops are in. He knows about General Hwangbo too,” he reported.

“And? What is he going to do about it?” Zitao asked, highly suspicious of the Crown Prince’s motives.

Yifan let out a heavy sigh. “Well-played,” he commented cryptically. “This was very well-played.”

“Well-played?” Zitao scratched the nape of his neck. “I’m afraid I don’t know what Your Highness means.”

“The Crown Prince not only _wants_ but actually _needs_ to secure the marital alliance with Princess Jiwon, but by initially sabotaging it, he is actually indirectly improving his chances,” Yifan explained. “First, he takes advantage of my wife’s death, and uses that as an excuse to send assassins to eliminate me for fear that I would marry a Princess while I’m here. That obviously didn’t work out, but it sure made King Chanyeol worried enough to become distrustful of me — as if the Koreans aren’t already distrustful of foreigners to begin with. For the sake of safety, the Crown Prince predicted that King Chanyeol would banish me from his court and suspend the alliance between our two nations. But then, the war with Khitan took a turn, and now Korea is in severe need of a powerful ally.”

“China,” Zitao replied immediately. “The Crown Prince offers to send backup troops?”

“Indeed.”

“But he obviously isn’t going to do it for free. What’s the catch?”

“Well then, since we are so kind as to lend a helping hand to Korea, surely King Chanyeol will have to repay us in some way and also demonstrate that Korea is committed to solidifying this international alliance,” said Yifan slyly. “Previously His Majesty has put Princess Jiwon’s betrothal on hold — well, it’s very likely that he will now have no choice but to proceed with the betrothal and arrange for his cousin to be sent to China and married off to the Crown Prince.”

“Makes sense to me, except for one part…” said Zitao. “The Crown Prince manipulated everyone and everything so as to make King Chanyeol suspend the betrothal — but then how did the Crown Prince know that the war with Khitan would give him the perfect opportunity to turn the tables and make King Chanyeol obligated to follow through with the marriage agreement? No one saw it coming, the way the Korean troops have had victory after victory but then suddenly they lost 50,000 men...”

“Zitao, you still underestimate this brother of mine,” Yifan replied ominously. “Don’t you think the news reached the Crown Prince a little too quickly? And — don’t you think it was too easy? The Khitan troops just so happened to decide to set a trap and lure the Korean troops into complacency by allowing them to triumph again and again. How convenient…”

Zitao felt chills run down his spine again. “Does Your Highness mean to say...it’s not a coincidence? The Crown Prince is in cahoots with the Khitan troops, they had the mutual agreement to trick Korea into believing they have the upper hand...then to flip the situation upside down entirely so that Korea would be too weak to turn down an alliance with China?”

Gravely nodding his head, Yifan added, “I suspect he orchestrated all of this. He’s double-crossing both Khitan and Korea at the same time. Very crafty of him but also very characteristic of him. And all of us — me, the King, the Korean troops, the Khitan troops — played nicely into his schemes.”

Zitao shuddered. “Then what shall we do now?”

“We’ll have to relay this message to King Chanyeol. I’m sure His Majesty will be very relieved that the Chinese troops will be coming to the rescue,” Yifan concluded stoically. “Perhaps he will welcome me back to his court once again as the ambassador.”

“Are you eager to return to his court, though? He was so eager to kick you out…” Zitao uttered.

“Better his court than the one at home,” Yifan remarked wryly.

“Your Highness?” One of his servants called out from outside the chamber. Both men snapped to attention immediately.

“Yes, what is it?” Yifan asked.

“We have a visitor, Your Highness,” the servant announced. “Lord Byun Baekhyun is here to see you.”


	21. Comeback

When Yifan was invited back to Chanyeol’s court, he and Baekhyun were able to travel to the palace together since Baekhyun’s hometown was near the border anyway.

Once the Prince arrived, he met with Chanyeol immediately. As expected, Chanyeol confirmed that he was happy to send his cousin to China. But then the King added, “I’ve also received a letter from your father the Emperor.”

Yifan was surprised, but also not really surprised. His father was getting old and had been thinking about retiring, so most state affairs had been left to the Crown Prince to handle. It would not be too difficult for the Crown Prince to talk the Emperor into penning this letter to Chanyeol. The letter might have been penned by the Emperor himself but the contents of the letter were surely dictated by the Crown Prince.

“Yes, Majesty,” Yifan replied calmly, pretending to know exactly what was going on, as if he had known all along that his father would be writing a letter to Chanyeol.

“I am glad to hear from His Majesty. It is the Emperor’s wish as well as mine that Your Highness will be leading the troops to back up my men in defeating Khitan,” said Chanyeol, with an ominous glint in his eye. “It pleases me that Your Highness is willing to contribute in this capacity. I feel much more confident now that we will win the war against Khitan once and for all.”

Yifan stiffened, but shielded his reactions and feelings from the King’s notice. He had little experience in leading battles, but then he did not have to read the Emperor’s — in essence the Crown Prince’s — letter to know that there would be a list of reasons why it would be a good idea to let him lead the troops. The King was still wary of him and the Crown Prince even wanted him dead. Not to mention he spoke the language, so communication would not be a problem. Who better to send than Yifan?

“Naturally, Your Majesty. I am committed to this alliance, after all, and no doubt Your Majesty shares my sentiments,” said Yifan.

“Of course,” Chanyeol replied, an inscrutable smile upon his face. “Well, it would be best for Your Highness to get prepared as soon as possible. Your quarters have been tidied and cleaned so you can move back in immediately.”

By ‘immediately’, Yifan understood that Chanyeol meant that he better get out and get ready because the stakes were high — a General and thousands of soldiers were waiting to be rescued and supported.

Once he exited the hall, he began to think about how to extract General Hwangbo from the enemy. He had promised Lord Baekhyun that he would do his best to ensure the General’s safety — as long as he was still alive. How devastating this must be for the Queen.

Yifan knew that Seulwon would not be able to put her worries to rest until she could have her brother back, safe and sound. But for the time being, if Yifan could offer her some consolation, even if it was just a little bit, he reckoned it would be better than nothing.

And so, he was about to ask Zitao to discreetly find out if it would be possible for him and the Queen to meet in private. However, once he arrived at his quarters, he found that the Queen was already there. She was accompanied by one of her handmaidens as usual, and she had been waiting to see him.

It was easy for him to notice that her makeup made her look very pretty, especially her eyes, but it was impossible to ignore the tears brimming in those pretty eyes too. He felt so sorry for her, having to worry day and night for a family member she cherished, not knowing whether or not he was even alive and also not being able to do anything to make things better for him as a sister, and also for all the soldiers on the frontline as their Queen.

But above pity, Yifan was angry. He was used to his brother trying to harm _him_ , but he just could not stand the thought of his brother or anyone harming _her_. She was hardly a threat to anyone, just another innocent who was enmeshed by political turmoil, easily sacrificed just so the Crown Prince’s plans on many levels would play out as they should. Without being aware of it, Yifan had already balled his hands into fists, subconsciously transforming his silent rage into a strong motivation to protect and defend Seulwon.

“Your Highness,” she began, greeting him with very little energy left. Her voice was not shaky — yet — but it was easy to tell that she was tired. Exhausted. Utterly burnt out. And it was understandable that she would feel this way.

“Your Majesty,” said Yifan solemnly as he led her inside so they could talk more comfortably. “I do wish we could be meeting under less distressing circumstances. Since you have come to me, is there anything I can help you with?”

Seeing as Hera and Zitao were right outside the room and would not be able to see with their very own eyes what was going on, Seulwon just allowed herself to let her guard down for a moment.

“I am sick and tired of it,” she stated, letting out a sigh. “I am fed up with being tearful — it’s just destructive. I can’t go on this way. I can’t keep going like this. I need to do something _constructive_ instead, and I thought—”

“Let me help you,” he cut in and offered sincerely. “Please, trust me. I will do it for you.”

She looked at him in disbelief, but also pleadingly and with gratitude in her eyes. She understood that she could not rely on Chanyeol anymore even though he was _supposedly_ the most powerful man in the country. There was nothing he could do for her, so she had to turn to someone else and she knew that Yifan would be her last hope, which was why she was here. Now that he was offering to help and did not even need her to say it aloud, it was perfect but it also felt too good to be true.

“You...you will?” She whispered.

Yifan nodded firmly. “I will. I will try to keep your brother alive and bring him back to you. I promise,” he replied in reassurance. It was what Baekhyun had already discussed with him previously when they were still near the border and he was conveniently visiting his grandmother.

As much as she hated crying and really did not want to burst into tears again, she still ended up doing exactly that, right in front of Yifan. Taking notice of this, both Zitao and Hera took a peek but Yifan quietly dismissed them for now. Seulwon was crying tears of relief, for once not of sadness or helplessness. Even though she still had no information on her brother, Yifan’s word was good enough to bring more relief to her than anyone else in the palace had been able to.

So she took a moment to regulate her emotions, and Yifan remained silent, just sitting with her and letting her express what she needed to express, what she felt like she could and would like to express, in ways that she wanted to. Even getting to do that was already therapeutic in unprecedented ways.

It was as if her eyes were so accustomed to producing tears that once she started, she could hardly stop. And it made Yifan sad to see her like this, impelling him to crouch in front of her. Slowly and tenderly he took the handkerchief from her hands and, while holding his breath, wiped her tears away. It was improper; how could a married woman, let alone the Queen, allow any man except her own family to behave this way toward her? It was too intimate, according to conduct and decorum, but according to _her_ , it was not nearly intimate enough.

As if he could read her mind, he cradled her face gently, feeling her burning hot cheeks and soothing them with his touch. He had been wanting to do this since their encounter in the woods, when she confided in him — albeit cryptically — about her plight.

She did not flinch or back away from him, merely gulping and sniffling as her vision started to become clearer. She could only stare at him even as he sat back down, whilst she felt numb yet her heart was beating fast, unable to shed her worries yet finding relief in his promise, noting the prescriptive formality between them yet also acknowledging his good looks. There were just too many paradoxes ensnaring her into a vortex she could never escape.

“Thank you,” she said, once she was able to bring herself to speak properly and coherently. She repeated herself a few more times too, as if needing that repetition to cement the idea that this was really happening, that this was real, that there was really someone who was willing and able to help her.

“It’s going to be fine,” he went on even though for now he withdrew his hands from her, not daring to break propriety for too long. “Everything will be alright, I assure you.”

“You’re my savior,” she blurted, lunging forward to seize his hands. She was squeezing his hands tightly, more tightly than he thought was capable of someone who looked so delicate and petite. It was as if she was trying to tell him something more than words could say. As if she was beseeching those hands to haul her brother out of captivity and to deliver him to safety. _You have to be more than my savior; you have to save my brother too. You_ have _to._

He froze, unable to pull back from her, or to push her away, or to open his mouth to warn her to be mindful of etiquette. He did not even have it in him to ask her to unhand him, knowing that he was already her last hope. She had already been hurt deeply when she initially received news about her brother. It was even more painful to think that her husband, too, had failed her. Yifan was willing to give her anything to hold on to, just as she would be willing to give anything just to secure her brother’s safety.

Eventually she put her hands back onto her lap, looking down in shame. But once she did so, he gasped softly and reached out to grasp her hands instead, which made her look back up at him.

“I would do anything for you,” he admitted. “That day, in the woods…” he added. “When I told you that you deserve better, and you asked me who’s going to give you something better, and who you can possibly count on…” he licked his lips and paused before continuing, boldly offering, “I can do all of that for you, if you will let me.”

The heavy weight on her heart was lifted once he said those words to her. She was hardly even aware that it was ever there, just that he had left an impact on her that far exceeded what she could ever have expected from a foreign ambassador. Rather, he was meeting the expectations that she had for her _husband_ who had failed to live up to them. The love and care and understanding that she never got from Chanyeol, Yifan was more than willing to provide. She no longer had any defenses against Yifan, unable to say no to him. For all that he could give her, she would risk it all too. But could she really? Her husband was useless, but a legitimate marriage was a legitimate marriage no matter what.

“I…” she piped up hesitantly. “I don’t know what to say. How could I possibly turn you down? And yet, you and I...we...we could never be ‘us’.”

Slowly, he let go of her and cleared his throat. “Forgive me. I overstepped my boundaries,” he replied solemnly, standing up to help himself clear his mind and to remind himself to keep a formal distance. She followed suit, regaining her composure of regal dignity and queenly grace.

“I will pray for your safe return just as I pray for my brother’s,” she added, hastily but not insincerely. She wondered if this would be enough for him to get what she was _really_ trying to say: that he was important to her. “Don’t let this be the last time we see each other.”

“It won’t be,” he said resolutely. “I will come back to you. I promise that too.”

“You must,” she replied. “I can’t lose _you_ too.”

Before she could allow herself to be overcome by a moment of weakness, she had to look away from him and stride out of the room. Once she did so, both Zitao and Hera snapped to attention. The handmaiden stepped forward to attend the Queen’s Majesty while the Prince’s guard bowed as the two ladies exited the ambassador’s quarters.

Hera escorted the Queen back to her own residence, where she continued to endlessly ponder over recent events even till late at night when she was lying in bed, trying and failing to sleep.

She found herself gripping the edge of the blanket tightly, as if her hands were looking for something that could recreate the way it felt to be holding Yifan’s hands or to be held by those big hands. There was firmness in his tenderness, and that kind of gentle strength further fueled the impression that he was someone she could rely on. She desperately needed a figure like that in her life and he was here to provide it. Given that kind of support and, now that she thought about it, how handsome and determined he looked, he was completely irresistible to her.

Although he was what her heart wanted, her head advised against it. The conflict within her was an insurmountable obstacle, causing her to rapidly swing back and forth between surrendering to her heart and listening to the cautionary voice at the back of her head. One moment she was abandoning all inhibition and ration to take his hand and touch him, and the next she would be filled with shame and had to forcibly pull back from him. As if it were not painful and wearying enough to be oscillating between these two states, there were still other problems for her to stress over. Even though her heart fluttered at how soothing and pleasant it was to be comforted by Yifan, it was improper for them to share this kind of physical contact. No woman should ever behave this way with anyone except her husband or her own family members. Not to mention she was married to the King — if her interactions with Yifan ever went beyond this degree of secrecy, she would be publicly crucified for committing not just adultery but also treason. No one must find out about this.

At the end of the day, she really just hoped that Yifan could live up to _both_ his promises. He _must_ return safely, and so must her brother.


	22. Instrumental Value

Whilst the Queen was with the ambassador, the King was meeting with his most trusted friend, Baekhyun. They had a lot of state affairs to discuss, things that were on the agenda in council meetings but also things that they did not want the other ministers to know about just yet.

By the time they wrapped up this clandestine discussion, a eunuch came along and announced to the King, “the gayageum is ready, Your Majesty.”

“Ah…” Chanyeol sighed lightly. “Pay a visit to the Queen’s quarters tomorrow, and give the newly made gayageum to her on my behalf.”

“Yes, Majesty,” replied the eunuch, who bowed and exited the room without question.

Baekhyun cleared his throat. “I suppose you and the Queen haven’t talked face-to-face in a long time?”

Chanyeol nodded reluctantly. “I don’t know how to console her over what happened to her brother the General,” he admitted. “So...I’ve been avoiding her. At first, she begged for an audience with me but I kept turning her down because...what could I have done to help anyway? You know what the situation is like, military-wise and considering what supplies and resources we can mobilize.”

“I understand. So why not go pay her a visit personally? Since you have the new gayageum as an excuse anyway,” Baekhyun suggested.

Sighing, Chanyeol explained, “I still can’t face her. There is nothing I can personally do for her. Why would she still want to see me? At least not until the war is won and her brother comes back safely. If that doesn’t happen — I fear she will never forgive me.”

“Well then, if it’s just going to be awkward and difficult for both of you, then...perhaps it’s really better to not interact.”

Once Chanyeol received the validation he needed, he went on more comfortably. “Let’s leave things here for now and carry on the discussion with the rest of the council tomorrow morning.”

“Certainly. Your Majesty must be tired too.”

“And hungry,” the King replied. “I’m going to have dinner now.”

“Ah, with Concubine Lim, I presume?”

“Yes,” the King answered. “These days, the only people who can keep me sane and bring at least a modicum of delight to me would be you, as well as my little cousin, and of course Seojung. You and I have had a lengthy conversation today, earlier I’ve already explained to Jiwon about my plans for her, and now...it’s finally time for me to get to relax a bit and spend some time with Seojung. It's a pity that the Queen isn't among the people who can really understand me. I guess we are just not meant for each other. Shall I fight fate and keep pretending she can make me happy when the truth is that...we are just not meant to be?”

“I wouldn't like to see Your Majesty burden yourself like that.” Baekhyun gave the King a sympathetic look. “Please take care and spend time with the people that make you happy. Have a good evening, Majesty. I shall take my leave now.”

“Thank you, Baekhyun. See you at the council meeting tomorrow.”

* * *

Although life had been tough for Seulwon partly because of what her husband had failed to do, it had not been entirely a picnic for the husband in question either.

Chanyeol woke up in the morning with dreadful thoughts, which was the case for most mornings these days no matter how interesting the night before was. Not that he was not able to derive any pleasure from spending time with Seojung, just that the problems that needed to be resolved still needed to be resolved but had yet to be resolved despite previous efforts, and it was giving the King a headache.

Every waking moment was more of a nightmare than whatever bad dream he could possibly encounter when he was asleep. What a tragedy.

Even as he was having breakfast with Seojung, he was whining the whole time.

“I don’t want to go to the council meeting,” he reiterated after they were finished with their meal. He said as much every day, but the sentiment remained the same and he must express it. “My advisors never have any sound advice. They don’t really want to contribute anyway. They don’t really care about the country’s welfare. They just want to occupy a respectable position in my court because of the status and affluence that comes with it.”

As he spoke, Court Lady Jeon Taehee was there the whole time, serving breakfast to the King. He could _feel_ that she was inwardly suppressing the urge to roll her eyes at his complaints, even though she did not say a single word whilst dutifully putting the used plates, bowls, cups, and utensils into a box. This was her job as she directly answered to the King, whereas another servant was assigned to do the same for Concubine Lim.

Seojung placed a soft kiss on Chanyeol’s cheek, not at all minding that Court Lady Jeon would be watching in disapproval. The concubine’s mood was not at all dampened because the bane of Chanyeol’s life of late was diplomatic and military matters, matters of national defense, none of which directly concerned or threatened women like Seojung.

“I will be waiting to see Your Majesty after the meeting,” she cooed as if he were a pouty child who was reluctant to go to his lessons. “Hopefully that will give Your Majesty something to look forward to, no matter how dreary or tedious the meeting is.”

Chanyeol groaned. “I can’t wait for it to be over already.”

“Majesty, do you think we’ll be able to win the war with the Chinese troops’ help?” Seojung asked.

The King had been thinking about this, and he was well aware that the circumstances that the nation was in were less than ideal. “We have no choice but to ‘trust’ our Chinese allies, or else Khitan may well be able to annihilate and annex us. We can’t possibly afford that, and we have too little bargaining power in general, so we must once again appear committed to the alliance with the Chinese — I must, for now, agree to send my cousin to China. Unless someone comes up with a better alternative. But like I said, my advisors have not been helpful.”

“Not even Lord Baekhyun has any ideas?”

“Not even him,” Chanyeol answered gloomily. “That’s how bad it is.”

“I guess Princess Jiwon won’t have to head to China until the war is over — I mean, until the war is won, right? At least, she will stay safe for now,” replied Seojung.

Chanyeol nodded. “Of course I’m reluctant to marry her off to the Crown Prince of China. I think I’ve always been protective of her. There’s no way I would want her to be married to a murderer. I haven’t forgotten that he is still the prime suspect behind the assassination attempt that almost got the Queen and one of my subjects killed.” He sighed and looked down at their hands, fiddling with Seojung’s fingers which had inadvertently conveyed his discomfort about having to deal, albeit indirectly, with the Crown Prince of China. “Seulwon is still my wife after all, and Hera is supposed to be Baekhyun’s wife. Even though they were never the Crown Prince’s intended targets, it’s still _his_ fault that they got hurt. I’d really rather not let Jiwon get anywhere near him, if I only had other options...”

He could go on and on about his frustrations, but a eunuch came into sight and so the King sat up straight and cleared his throat.

“Majesty, Lord Byun Baekhyun has sent me to inform Your Majesty that the council is ready,” the eunuch reported, keeping his head bowed.

Chanyeol sighed and stood up reluctantly. “I suppose I must go,” he said to Seojung. “I will see you soon, my love.”

* * *

“Your Majesty,” said the eunuch who had arrived at the Queen’s residence, new gayageum in tow. “The King has commissioned a new gayageum to be made for Your Majesty, seeing as the old one could not be repaired. I am here under the King’s command to deliver this to Your Majesty.”

Seulwon quickly plastered a smile upon her face and roamed a finger across the strings, producing delicate sounds. Then she motioned for Yunhee to step forward to gracefully accept the gift.

“So nice of His Majesty to think of me,” she replied, sounding very pleased when in fact she had just managed to conceal her sarcasm from the eunuch. “I am so thankful to the King. It is the best present I can ask for.”

The eunuch took note of the Queen’s reaction, knowing that the King would most likely ask him about it later on. “Now that I have completed His Majesty’s orders, I will return to my post,” he said deferentially and bowed. “Good day, Majesty.”

As soon as he was out of earshot, the Queen’s facial expressions changed drastically, becoming icy, bitter, and even rancorous.

“Pathetic,” she snarled, eyeing the gayageum as if it were a monstrosity that should be burned and destroyed.

Immediately her handmaidens exchanged glances, eyes widening in fright. How could they not be nervous and scared when the Queen hardly ever got angry with anyone? And yet here she was. Clearly her sadness and disappointment had turned into anger. It was written all over her face and seeing her react this way was really saying a lot. Her relationship with the King no longer stood a chance.

After a prolonged moment of awkward silence, finally it was Yunhee who piped up.

“Your Majesty.” She gulped and took a glance at the gayageum helplessly. “What shall I do with this?”

“Put it somewhere safe,” the Queen instructed. “In case the King asks about it.”

“Yes, Majesty,” she squeaked.

“But out of my sight,” the Queen added sharply. “I don’t want to look at it.”

Quickly, Yunhee did as she was told. Hera stepped forward and asked if the Queen wanted anything to eat or drink, but Seulwon just wanted to sit by herself and be alone for a while. Respectfully, Hera backed out and rejoined Yunhee.

“I never expected Her Majesty to react this way,” Yunhee began. “It was scary.”

“Me neither,” said Hera. “I guess she’s in a really bad mood. You know how much stress she’s been dealing with.”

“Yes, well, if the King had handled it better then the Queen wouldn’t be in such a bad mood now, would she?” Yunhee rolled her eyes. “It’s not like he hasn’t been neglecting her enough already, and it’s no secret that he only cares about Concubine Lim, no one else. Not to mention he made no effort to redeem General Hwangbo from the Khitan troops. Instead he sends a _gayageum_ and doesn’t even dare personally show up to have a conversation with the Queen. He only ever makes things worse.”

Hera sighed. It was impossible to deny the fact that Chanyeol’s incompetence as a King and as a husband had deeply disappointed and hurt the Queen. But still, Hera and Yunhee were servants, the King’s subjects, and it would be wiser to keep their opinions to themselves.

“Don’t look at me like that. I already know what you’re going to say,” Yunhee went on. “You just don’t think it’s a good idea for me to criticize the King. But he’s a failure and I don’t like how it’s impacted the Queen. I’m just concerned about Her Majesty. He has the power to make it all better except he doesn’t do _anything_ for her. That gayageum doesn’t count because it’s just a sorry excuse for a present and she’s supposed to be _grateful_ for it. Well, the King doesn’t deserve her gratitude because he doesn’t care about her at all, not even the slightest.”

“Yunhee, please, that’s enough.”

“Oh, come on. You don’t disagree with me; you just disapprove of how vocal I am about it,” she uttered sourly.

“Well, if you know that, then you shouldn’t even have started, because once you do, you won’t be able to stop,” Hera stated. “I feel bad for the Queen too, but what do you think we are going to accomplish by just grousing about it? Unfortunately it’s not going to change the King’s behavior in any way, nor is it going to secure General Hwangbo’s safe return. Let’s just do what we can do best — attend Her Majesty and make sure she has everything she needs.”

“Fine,” Yunhee replied begrudgingly. “Whatever you say.”

Afterward, Yunhee busied herself with tidying the Queen’s jewelry boxes. Some accessories were gifts from the King, and so she decided it would probably be a better idea for those items in particular to be placed into another box that was further out of the Queen’s sight. Why let them stay here to incur the Queen’s displeasure? Surely they would just remind her of the King and their hopeless relationship that they called a marriage, so what was the point?

Hera on the other hand headed out. There were some errands she had to run; none too urgent but it had to be done anyway, so she did it and used it as an excuse to get some air and clear her mind.

She was not sure if she was in the mood to be chatting with anyone — perhaps getting some alone time was great too, like the Queen opted for. But then someone was coming her way — and Hera decided perhaps it would not be so bad to have a chat with him anyway.


	23. Friend

Having spent the entire afternoon meeting with the King and the rest of the council, Baekhyun was glad to finally be able to leave work behind. He was even more delighted to run into Hera, which was perfect because there were a lot of things he needed to talk to her about.

“I’m sure you’ve already heard from the Queen, about Prince Yifan leading the Chinese troops to back up _our_ troops at the border,” Baekhyun began.

“Yes, and His Highness promised to do his best to rescue General Hwangbo. I really hope he keeps his word.”

“I kept my word too,” he said. “When I went back to my hometown to visit my grandmother, I also took a detour to the post house near the border where I knew the Chinese ambassador and his entourage would be staying for a bit before proceeding with the rest of their journey back to the imperial court. So I met up with Prince Yifan there and on the way, I’d been thinking about the arguments that I ought to make, to talk him into lending a helping hand and going to General Hwangbo’s rescue.”

“You must’ve been very persuasive then,” she replied softly.

“Actually, I barely even had the chance to demonstrate just how persuasive I can be,” he revealed. “Once I mentioned that the General is the Queen’s brother, Prince Yifan agreed very quickly. He asked for details of course, but only after agreeing to do it. But he didn’t stall, nor did he demand anything in return. That’s so unlike what a diplomat would normally do.”

Hera nodded slowly. “Either way, as long as His Highness is willing to help, it would mean a lot to the Queen already. She desires nothing more than for her brother to be safe and sound.”

“I’m also glad that he’s willing to help. But don’t you think he agreed to it just a tad bit too swiftly?” He asked. “Because of that, I can’t help but wonder if there is anything special about the relationship between him and the Queen. Does he perhaps owe her something, and that’s why he barely even hesitated?”

Hera paused, careful to disclose as little as possible about the interactions between the Queen and the ambassador. “Not that I know of,” she answered. “Just that they certainly get along well and perhaps bond with each other on an intellectual level.”

“Hmm…” Baekhyun licked his lips. “Well, you’re right, I suppose. He’s willing to help and that’s what’s most important. But now that you know I’ve kept my word, it’s time for you to show me that you’re committed to keeping _your_ word too.”

“Ah?” She asked, momentarily confused. “What do you mean?”

“What we talked about last time,” he explained. “About confiding in me. I can tell, you know. That you’re not in the best mood today.”

“About that…” Hera faltered. It was not that he was not worthy of her honesty; just that she could not risk letting him know about how the Queen really felt about the King lately. It was evident to her that the Queen only pretended to be delighted over the gayageum earlier, and that was because she did not want the eunuch to report back to the King that she was actually displeased and angry. She felt the need to conceal that from the King, so how could Hera possibly betray her? Baekhyun was the King’s best friend after all and if he exposes this to the King, it would be over for the Queen and everyone in her household.

She cleared her throat and went on. “It’s just that the Queen isn’t in a good mood either, so I guess it’s contagious.”

Baekhyun nodded, sensing that she was holding back but not at all willing to push further. If she were comfortable with sharing more, she would have done it already.

“That’s understandable. Her Majesty must be going through a lot,” he commented. “I’m sure everything will get better once General Hwangbo comes back safely.”

“We are all praying for him and for our soldiers,” she said solemnly.

“By the way,” he added. “When I visited my grandmother, she asked me something very important.”

“What might that be?”

“She asked me when I’m going to get married,” he revealed with a smile. “She said she really wants to be able to see all of her grandchildren get married and have children of their own.”

Hera blushed. “I hope you gave Her Ladyship a satisfactory answer, then.”

“Oh, I sure did,” he replied proudly. “She was very pleased when I told her that I’ve already found the perfect granddaughter-in-law for her. I’m just waiting for this girl to be ready to give me a satisfactory answer too.”

“And...do you think you’re ever going to get it?” She asked, somewhat mischievously. She did not think she had that kind of playfulness in her, but perhaps being under Baekhyun’s influence _changed_ things. Changed _her_ , for the better, she liked to think. Last time they talked, he did mention that he would love it if she could share her world with him, so she supposed it should go both ways.

Baekhyun giggled. “I’m a very optimistic person, so yes. I don’t think there are things I can’t do, because I always believe in myself.”

“You’re a very confident man, Lord Baekhyun,” she remarked. _And I think I do quite like that_ , she added to herself, but decided not to say it aloud for now.

“Yes I am indeed! And I believe in you, too,” he stated.

“In me?”

“Yes, I believe you’ll make the right choice for yourself, and you’ll see that I’m not just a confident man — I’m also the perfect man for you!” He replied with a grin and patted his chest to emphasize his point. “Besides, compared to the unfavorable assumptions you had about me at first, I think you think of me very differently now. Would I be wrong to say that you like me even more than you disliked me back then?”

Hera smiled. “That’s a secret.”

“But I’m itching to know,” Baekhyun whined. “I want to know that I’ve been leaving more favorable impressions on you. Some reassurance would be nice.”

Seeing as he was pouting, she had to give in. “All I’ll say is that, since you’re an optimistic and hopeful person...you may continue to have hope.”

Albeit cryptic, he understood what she meant but was just not yet willing to explicitly admit. He was over the moon, and he bet his grandmother would not be disappointed.

“I’ll say as much to my grandmother then,” he said smartly.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said suddenly, and for a moment Baekhyun thought she was going to have to excuse herself but then she continued, “I should’ve asked you about your day too...ah, that was rude of me.”

“No, don’t worry about it,” he reassured her quickly. “I will tell you _all_ about my day if you want me to.”

“Of course it would please me if you would confide freely in me,” she said, showing him that she had not forgotten about what they had agreed on in their previous encounters. “You’ve been supporting the King all day, I bet, just as I’ve been attending the Queen all day. It isn’t a tedious chore, but we have our own capacities too. If we only ever depend on ourselves, we’ll never have enough. But if we can lean on each other…”

All along, it had mostly been the two of them walking from one end of a long hallway to the other end as they chatted. When they reached the end and had to round the corner, they ran into a palace maid. From her dull uniform, it was evident that she was not a handmaiden attached to any particular woman in the King’s harem. But Hera did not need to rely on the uniform to recognize the maid — they were acquainted, friends even.

The maid was holding a bucket that looked heavy, but that did not stop her from bowing at Lord Baekhyun without missing a beat. Somehow, it was not difficult to see that she greeted His Lordship with _willingness_ , not just a perfunctory gesture under the restrictive rules that governed the conduct of the inhabitants of the royal court. Perhaps Lord Baekhyun was one of the few people in the royal court that truly deserved respect.

Baekhyun acknowledged her briefly, but carried on conversing with Hera until it was getting late. Baekhyun headed back to his own residence while Hera also made her way back to the Queen’s.

“Psst.”

The maid that Hera ran into just now emerged out of nowhere, giving Hera a good scare.

“Ya! Jisoo!” Hera said chidingly, but also joined the maid, Jisoo, in laughter. “You’ve been waiting for me?”

Jisoo nodded and answered, “I’m sure you’d have to return to the Queen’s quarters before dusk anyway, so I knew I’d run into you here.”

“You’re in a good mood,” Hera commented.

Jisoo sighed. “I am, although I can understand why _you_ wouldn’t be. The rumors are so unpleasant...but not groundless, you know.”

“Which rumors in particular?” Hera asked.

“Why, there's no way you haven't heard about it. General Hwangbo is already dead, apparently. And if the Queen still fails to bear an heir for the King, it will be the fall of the Hwangbo clan for sure. Then she will really lose all power and be replaced by Concubine Lim. You know the King’s fondness for Concubine Lim grows by the day. Other concubines, especially the lower-ranking ones, haven’t even seen the King in months.”

Hera let out a gasp. “Jisoo, don’t say these inauspicious things, please! We don’t know how General Hwangbo is doing, and the Queen could conceive a child anytime! Don’t underestimate the Hwangbo clan,” she said. “As for Concubine Lim, well, it’s the King’s prerogative to spend as much time with her as His Majesty pleases. I won’t comment on that.”

“I know it isn’t what you want to hear, but you’ve got to be realistic too.”

“You have advice for me?”

“I do, actually. You ought to find yourself a husband as soon as possible,” she stated. “You're not getting any younger, you know.”

“Where is this _really_ coming from? Because I know it's not the age factor that's making you say this.”

“What I’m saying is that it would be in your best interests to secure a husband whilst the Queen is still in power. I’m sorry, I really don’t mean any offense or disrespect but Her Majesty’s status as the Queen is truly not that secure. Either way, if and when Hwangbo Seulwon gets overthrown, you, as her handmaiden, won’t be so desirable as a bride anymore. In other words, you won’t be ‘wife material’ anymore.”

Hera frowned. “The Queen...well…” she thought hard, trying to come up with a way to defend the Queen’s position, but to no avail. Perhaps there was some truth in Jisoo’s warning after all.

“I really hope it doesn’t come to that, but you should be prepared…”

“The General will come back after winning the war, though,” Hera pointed out, but without confidence.

“But you don’t know that for sure,” Jisoo insisted. “So if you have suitors already, I suggest you seriously consider and accept their proposal.”

“Jisoo, you must understand, it’s exactly because the Queen is in such a vulnerable position — that’s why I have to stay by her side. Under these circumstances, it’s even more important for her to have my support.”

“Then I hope your steadfast loyalty to Her Majesty will not be your undoing,” Jisoo replied sympathetically.

Hera nodded. “Thank you, though. I’m glad you came to me.”

“Oh, no problem. If you do somehow end up becoming the wife of a wealthy nobleman…” Jisoo winked. “Don’t forget me! Please have me transferred from the palace to your household; I will gladly work as your maid.”

Hera giggled. “It’s too soon to speak, but if that does happen someday, I will definitely not forget you.”


	24. Wishful Thinking

The war with Khitan went on for two more months before the Korean troops triumphed. Of course, they could not have done it without the backup troops from China, led by Prince Yifan. As Khitan was now severely weakened, it was up to the Chinese troops to carry on with their conquest. This was left to another Chinese military general to coordinate, whereas Yifan joined the Korean troops who returned to their homeland. Among the returning soldiers was General Hwangbo, the Queen’s brother. It was humiliating for Korea when he got captured. Many people also had doubts as to whether or not he would be a capable military leader since he was still so young, and suspected that he only got appointed because of his relation to the Queen and because he was from an influential clan. But now he was returning, triumphant and glorious, very much alive and in good spirits. This meant that the Hwangbo clan had narrowly escaped their downfall, even though there was still a problem with their most important pawn — Seulwon — who was still not pregnant with the King’s child.

Either way, Seulwon’s mind was not at all on the need for an heir. She was singularly focused on her brother, and as brother and sister reunited after months of separation, she shed tears again. Tears of relief and happiness this time.

“I’m so sorry for making you worry,” said the General, who had not yet recovered from the injuries he had sustained but at least he was alive.

“No, no, please don’t apologize. You’re back now, and you don’t know how relieved I am. I thought I’d never get to see you again,” the Queen replied.

“It’s all thanks to Prince Yifan’s help,” he stated. “He...he risked his life too, trying to rescue me.” He then proceeded to explain the details of how he escaped captivity and how the subsequent battles unfolded until the war was won. “And that’s why I am forever grateful to His Highness. Truly.”

“As am I. I don’t know what I’d do if I can’t have you back. Both you and His Highness,” she admitted.

“He...talked a lot about you,” he revealed. “He thinks very highly of you too.”

“I only have good things to say about him. He’s an intellectual. He’s so supportive and compassionate, a great listener too. He’s patient with me, protective of me, resilient and keeps his chin up no matter what adversities might come his way…and above all, he’s genuine.” She took a deep breath. “I’m so glad to have met him.”

The General was silent for a moment. When he spent time with the Prince, he had gathered the impression that Yifan cared _very_ deeply about the Queen. And now, to see her responding with plenty of praises for him as well, the General could not help but have his own suspicions.

“All those qualities that you listed just now…” he gulped and looked at his sister intently, seeking confirmation but also not quite sure if he was ready for the truth. “Isn’t that what you look for in a _husband_?” He asked. “You said that to me on your wedding day. And even when we were growing up, you would share these hopes with me too.”

“Did I?” She asked, smiling wryly. “I don’t recall.”

“It’s strange, because I didn’t expect that you’d think of the Prince _that_ way...” he explained. “The last time I heard you talk this way about someone — you know, with that kind of _yearning_ — was when you were talking about the King. But even _that_ was some time ago…”

She went silent, not because she did not know what to say, but because she was certain that he would not need her to say anything in order to understand how she was feeling.

After a moment, he nodded slowly, piecing things together and connecting the dots. It had become unequivocal that her marriage to the King was no longer making her happy.

“I don’t want you to be unhappy, sister,” he piped up. “I’ve had a lot of thoughts while I was in captivity, and even though it was a dreadful time, I’ve gained a lot of insights while I was there,” he explained. “Life is too short for us to live with any regrets. So while we still have the chance to do the things that we enjoy and be with the people we like being around, we should do it while we still can,” he added cryptically. “You understand what I’m saying, right?”

“What are you saying?” She asked, feigning obliviousness.

“You _know_ what I’m saying,” he replied resolutely, buying none of his sister’s acting. “Honestly, if I know you at all, I daresay you and the Prince are well-matched as a couple. Even more compatible than you are with the King.”

“You mustn’t say these treasonous things,” she scolded, but only weakly because deep down she agreed with what he was saying.

“I just want you to be happy,” he argued, but not too aggressively. “Prince Yifan obviously cares about you while the King doesn’t. Why wouldn’t you choose the man who saved my life over the man who didn’t bother to redeem me?”

She looked at him helplessly, understanding that he had been harboring chagrin and even anger and hatred for the King because Chanyeol was ready to sacrifice him and let him die at the enemy’s hands. She could not blame her brother for feeling that way, and it _should_ be a relief to her that he just wanted her to allow herself to seek a little reprieve from the unhappiness that her marriage brought. His implicit approval of the feelings between her and Yifan _should_ help alleviate her discomfort, and yet what he was suggesting was the unthinkable.

As she did not retort, he went on. “Let me make this even simpler for you. Why wouldn’t you choose someone you love over someone you no longer love?” He questioned. “Why wouldn’t you choose someone who loves you over someone who doesn’t?”

She sighed in exasperation. “This isn’t about what I _choose_ ,” she stated. “Choice is a privilege I don’t have. If the King doesn’t find happiness in his marriage to me, he has the freedom to take as many concubines as he pleases. But that’s not how it is for me, is it? It’s not fair, no. It's not fair at all. But what do you expect me to do about it?”

“Ah, so you’ve been thinking about it too,” he remarked acidly. “Just that you wouldn’t dare go ahead and do it.”

“You’re out of your mind!” She hissed sharply. “What you are suggesting is not only treasonous but also impossible. Am I supposed to risk my life and have an affair? Am I supposed to pretend there won’t be any repercussions if I get caught? You know it’s punishable by death, don’t you? I won’t be the only one losing my head — it’ll happen to _you_ as well, and the rest of my household, and the rest of our clan. Why should other people have to pay for my mistakes? I’m not letting that happen, and I’m not even going to make that mistake in the first place,” she insisted, and then stood up. “Look, I only just got you back and the last thing I want is to quarrel with you. I understand where you’re coming from. Really, I do, but you’ve got to try to see things from my point of view as well. It really isn’t that simple; I have a lot of considerations and concerns too. If you push me further on this, you won’t be bringing me any further away from unhappiness. So please.”

He sighed and nodded reluctantly, feeling bad about provoking an argument between them when they should be cherishing their time together and making the most out of what they thought they might lose forever.

“I’ll return to my residence for now. I’ll visit you again soon,” he replied. “Anyway, perhaps you should still pay a visit to the man who made it possible for the two of us to reunite today.”

He then exited her residence, but his suggestions remained on her mind even over the next few days. Even the unthinkable, forbidden suggestions.

Honestly, even without his input she would still have tried to visit Yifan, to thank the Prince for all that he had done for her and her brother. It had been a couple of months since they last saw each other anyway, but she also had to be mindful to not draw attention to her interactions with him. Technically, she was just the King’s consort and there was no reason why she, or any of the King’s women, should have anything to do with a foreign ambassador. Ambassadors were just here to negotiate and deal with the King and his council; why would he have any business with any woman in the King’s harem? It would be out of character for both of them to be meeting too often without a very solid, socially acceptable reason. The last time Seulwon had a legitimate reason to go see Yifan was when she needed to escort Princess Jiwon to see him and learn about the imperial court. But these days, the ambassador was supposed to still be in recovery, after fighting in a series of taxing battles, so the Jiwon excuse would not work. For now, the Queen could only wait a bit longer before she could find an excuse to go check on Yifan.

But for sure her only motive for wanting to visit him was not to express her gratitude. She wanted to see him, even without all these stressful events recently. She wanted to know how he was doing, to chat with him, to see his handsome face, to feel her own heart pounding in her chest, and more. She would even let him hold her hand again. Actually, she might even let him go further than that.

Perhaps the affair was already going on long before she knew it herself.

* * *

The soldiers came back from war just in time for the annual Moon Festival. Aside from the usual festivities and special foods, part of the customs allowed servants in the palace to take part in a special activity. They would write down their wishes on a small piece of paper, fold it, and place it onto a small paper boat once the moon was up that evening. If the boat made it to the opposite side of the pond before the first ray of sunshine the next morning, it meant that the wish would come true.

Although it was mainly the servants who kept this practice going in the palace, other inhabitants were also allowed to join, just that they usually did not. This was probably because the aristocrats residing in the palace wished to distinguish themselves from the servants.

Lord Baekhyun, however, had no qualms about partaking in this tradition. He had a wish to make anyway, so why not?

By the end of the night, everybody had retired for the night and had returned to their own quarters. The Queen had also fallen asleep, finally able to sleep well after so many nights of endless worry. And so, her handmaidens had a quick chat privately.

“You haven’t had the chance to make a wish at the pond yet, have you?” Hera asked. “Come on. Go. Otherwise it won’t have enough time to sail to the opposite end of the pond.”

“If I go now, I guess I still stand a chance...” said Yunhee, pretending to be hesitant when in fact she had already quite made up her mind.

“Yes, go,” Hera replied. “I’ll be here in case the Queen needs anything anyway.”

Yunhee nodded and took with her all that she needed, then proceeded to the pond without further ado.

She gave her boat a push, willing it to sail quickly to the other end of the pond. She needed her wish to come true. Please, please, please.

She would have done this earlier had she not been busy just now. She had already passed by this spot a few hours ago, but she was supposed to fetch a new batch of scented candles for the Queen so she was not able to stay behind for the ‘ritual’. It was truly a pity because she saw Lord Baekhyun alongside other maids and eunuchs. She did not have the chance to go up to him and strike up a conversation with him, but she did catch that he wrote his wish down on a red piece of paper and folded a yellow boat. These were the most distinctive features that caught her eye, as the other servants’ paper boats were in much duller colors.

Noticing that Baekhyun’s paper boat had already made it to the other side, Yunhee could not help herself — she picked it up and unfolded his piece of paper, so curious that it had become an itch she _must_ scratch.

Yunhee gasped softly when she read it, eyes widening in both delight and surprise.

_My wish is to marry the love of my life so she does not have to work as a maid anymore and can live comfortably as a noblewoman._

Her heart was racing and her breath quickened, completely overcome with unexpected rapture. She thought about all the times they got to interact, especially the most recent ones, as well as the physical contact they shared when they ran into each other at the library and again in the woods, when he wrapped his cloak around her...

“He wants to marry me…” she whispered to herself. “But why hasn’t he asked the King for me yet?”

She recalled the drunken confessions that the King had made to the Queen the other night, and the revelation that Baekhyun was allowed to marry pretty much whoever he wanted. All he needed to do was ask the King for it and his wish would come true already; frankly he did not even need this festival and this paper boat. So why had he not done so?

Yunhee sighed. It must have been because of all that had been going on lately; that must have been why Baekhyun had yet to be able to find a suitable time to bring this up to the King. The King was seldom in a good mood because of the war that was not even won until very recently. There were still a lot of other state affairs to deal with, on top of the unstable but very much necessary alliance with China. Although now that Khitan had been defeated and General Hwangbo came back very much alive, perhaps Baekhyun could more easily find the right time to mention this to the King. Then she could marry him and, as he said, live comfortably as a noblewoman.

Satisfied and excited, she went back to the Queen’s quarters with the broadest grin on her face.

* * *

Among those who did not participate in this rite was the King. It was just another ordinary night for His Majesty, and as usual he was making his way to Concubine Lim’s quarters to spend the night with her.

“Hold on,” he said to the eunuch who usually attended him. The eunuch motioned for the drivers — who lifted and carried the palanquin — to pause in their tracks, and then looked back up at the King to await further instructions.

“Stop here for a bit. I want to take a look at the pond,” he explained as the palanquin was lowered and he alighted from it.

Accompanied by the attending eunuch, Chanyeol stepped closer to the side of the pond and crouched to pick up one of the paper boats that had successfully reached the other end. Out of curiosity, he began to unfold the piece of paper, but then stopped abruptly and shut his eyes. Without saying a word, inwardly he asked himself, what wish would he make?

It was only afterward that he allowed himself to read what was written.

_I wish for the country to be prosperous and for everyone to live in peace. That there will be no more wars and no more suffering._

Chanyeol’s jaw dropped. How could someone else’s wish be the same as his own?

“Do you know who wrote this?” He turned to the eunuch and asked.

The eunuch bowed and shook his head. “I’m afraid not, Majesty. But if I may be so bold as to make a guess judging from the quality of the paper, it should be someone high-ranking. High-ranking, but a servant nonetheless — aristocrats who want to participate would usually use brighter colors.”

Chanyeol nodded. The conjecture made sense, but there were still too many possibilities.

“I don’t recognize the handwriting, but it’s the neatest, most beautiful handwriting I’ve ever seen,” Chanyeol remarked. “Look at this. It’s so pretty.”

“Ah, I’ve heard from other servants that Court Lady Jeon Taehee has very neat handwriting,” the eunuch added. “Perhaps…”

Chanyeol snorted. “ _Her_?! No way. There's nothing pretty about her.”

“If it pleases Your Majesty, I can take this slip and ask around tomorrow to identify whoever wrote this,” the eunuch offered.

“No need,” Chanyeol replied dismissively. “It’s not important.”

Chanyeol folded the piece of paper and put it back to where he found it, and then returned to sit comfortably in the palanquin. It was late already and Seojung must be expecting him, and he did not want to keep her waiting.


	25. The Stars That Fall

Shortly after the Moon Festival, there was another occasion for celebration because it was the 519th anniversary of the establishment of this dynasty.

As per tradition, the sovereign and his family — including all the concubines no matter their importance and ranking in the harem — would go to a temple near the palace. There, they would spend the whole day praying to the gods. The only exception was the Queen, who chose to lengthen her stay at the temple for an extra day or two after everyone else had gone back to the palace and carried on with their everyday lives.

Understanding that the Queen no doubt wanted to pray for her health and to thank the gods for bringing her brother back safely, the King made no objection and let the Queen extend her stay at the temple. He just told her handmaidens to make sure the Queen had everything she should need, and then returned to the palace. This was probably the most kindness he had shown to her in quite some time.

As soon as everybody had left the temple, Prince Yifan had the idea to visit the temple as well, to learn about the country’s religious ceremonies. It was part of his job as an ambassador as well; he had to show that he was knowledgeable in Korean culture if and when his father the Emperor asked him about it, once he returned to the imperial court.

Yifan had not known beforehand that the Queen was the only one who was staying behind, but getting to see her after so long was something that pleased him greatly.

There was something about the way she looked under the starlit sky that night. They stood facing each other, perpendicular to the balustrade of the balcony right outside their adjacent rooms that the monks had prepared for them.

When he saw her in the woods last time, he was already mesmerized by her petite figure and slim waist even before he saw her face. And now, looking into her eyes and finally getting to see her smile instead of her tears, he realized just how deeply he had fallen for her. But he kept this to himself for now and did not allow praises to slip out of his mouth just yet. Instead, he just relied on his gaze to convey his admiration to her.

Seeing as Zitao was in one room, probably sound asleep, while Hera and Yunhee were in another room, it gave the couple some much-needed privacy to reunite.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t miss you,” said Yifan when he finally piped up. He could no longer hold himself back, and just had to let her know just how attached to her he was. Was it improper? Of course it was, but it was just the two of them here. If now was not the time to be improper, then when?

“I’ve missed you too,” she said softly. “I was worried you weren’t going to make it back, but you did, and you kept your promise. I can’t thank you enough. I wanted to see you again and...” her voice trailed off, but it was clear that she longed for him.

“I’m here now, aren’t I? I came back to you. I came back _for_ you,” he replied. “I’ve been wanting to catch up with you.”

“So you came here? To the temple?”

He shook his head. “I had no idea Your Majesty was going to be here as well — I didn’t know you’d chosen to stay behind. I was just curious and wanted to learn about the religious rites you and your people practice here.”

“And are they anything like the customs in your country?” She asked.

“A little different,” he answered. “My favorite ritual, though — ah, no, not really, more like just a practice; it isn’t very serious — I can show you, actually.”

“Yes, show me.”

“You know, we may be from different countries but we all look at the same sky. And when we see a shooting star in the night sky, we make a wish,” he explained, looking up at the vast, boundless sky while guiding her to do the same. “Let’s see if we encounter any tonight.”

“We wouldn’t be that lucky,” she said hesitantly.

“Don’t be so sure — oh, look!” He pointed, instantly drawing her attention. “Quick! Make a wish.”

She was grinning before she knew it. Closing her eyes, she made a wish, not knowing if it was really going to work but there was no harm in trying.

Afterward, she looked up at him, delighted and ready to tell him all about her wish, but then he stopped her abruptly.

“Don’t! Don’t say it,” he blurted. “If you reveal your wish, then it won’t come true anymore.”

Her eyes widened, but not so much at how this shooting star thingy worked. Rather, it was because when he rushed to stop her, he had inadvertently put his fingers onto her lips. And his hand stayed there even after he had finished his sentence.

He only realized what he had done when he followed her line of vision. Immediately, he withdrew his hand.

“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” he blurted breathlessly. “That was rude of me. I should have minded my manners. I apologize. I would never—”

This time she was the one who stopped him mid-sentence, doing the same thing to him as he did with her just now. She pressed her fingertips to his lips, which made him stiffen.

 _Wasn’t she the one who preferred to keep me at a formal distance, last time we met?_ He thought to himself. _There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her. I would be willing to give her all the love she deserves, but only if she would let me._

“I don’t want you to apologize,” she stated, firmer than she was at first. Not so fragile, but still delicate enough to make all his protective instincts pop up.

“Then...what would you have me do?” He asked.

She paused for a moment, looking so calm that it was not at all obvious that myriad thoughts were crossing her mind. It was also making her heart beat really fast but somehow, her body was able to contain it, accept it, as if she had made peace with her feelings for him.

“Hold me,” she revealed. That was what she wanted him to do for her, right here, right now.

 _His_ heart was beating fast too. He did not hesitate to do her bidding, but also did not dare go beyond the degree of physical contact that they shared last time, for fear that it might be too much for her. He only allowed himself to take her hands in his, like they did last time.

“Your hands are cold,” he commented tenderly, engulfing her smaller hands with his much larger hands and trapping them in the warmth he could offer.

For a moment, neither of them spoke a word. She did not pull away from him, nor did he question her. She just allowed him to hold her like this, and it seemed good enough for both of them, more than they could ever ask for, until she piped up.

“Yifan.”

The sound of his name escaping her lips made him stare at her in surprise. His lips were parted, just slightly, not enough for his mouth to be agape. All along she had insisted upon addressing him formally. It had been this way from the very start even when he tested her when they first met. That was when he was still wary of her and had his guard up around her. But now he had no defenses against her and could resist her no longer, especially now that she was demonstrating to him that she had decided to accept him — and all that he could offer.

Her hands might be cold, but her lips were not. He found that out for himself when she stood on her toes and kissed him slowly. He never thought it would take him more than a heartbeat to kiss her back and lean further into the kiss. She did not feel cold anymore, not when her whole body was consumed by a passionate kind of warmth that she had never felt before. It was not just the kiss that made her feel this way; it was _Yifan_. It felt so good, but she broke it off just for a brief moment to let it sink in, so that it would feel _real_ too.

Although she pulled back from him, she did not want him to feel rejected or lead him to think that this was as far as they were going to go. On the contrary, she would love it if they could go much further than that.

“You said you missed me while you were away,” she went on, feeling no need to speak any louder than a whisper since they were so close already.

“Yes,” he answered, leaning closer and closer till their lips touched once more. A briefer kiss this time, followed by another one from a slightly different angle.

“How much?” She asked in between their kisses.

“Too much,” he uttered. They could hardly bring themselves to stop, taking all that they could from each other while they still could.

“That’s still not enough,” she whispered, slowly letting go of his hands so she could place hers on his shoulders, gripping them firmly but not too tightly. “Give me more.”

Now that his hands were freed up, he put them to good use. Steadily, he picked her up — carrying her in bridal style, ironically. He understood what she wanted from him, and he wanted nothing more than to give her all that she wanted and deserved.

Carefully, he brought her to his room and set her down only to shut and lock the door securely. Once they reached his bed, there was no need to hold back anymore. It seemed sacrilegious to do something so sinful in a place as sacred as a temple, but damn the gods. They would rather go to Hell together than to be without each other.

* * *

By the time the Queen rose from slumber, the sun was already up. She was loath to untangle herself from Yifan’s embrace, but she knew she had to do it. She also knew it would be better for her to do it now while she still could bear to tear herself away from his touch. If he woke up and tried to stop her, it would surely weaken her resolve.

And so she got out of bed and found her clothes, deftly putting them back on. She looked messy and her hair was even worse — she was not sure she wanted Yifan to see her in this state.

Hurriedly but without making too much noise, she exited his room and once she did so, she found herself face-to-face with her two handmaidens who looked absolutely mortified. No doubt they had been looking for her and the Prince’s room would be the last place they would check, but there she was.

The two handmaidens had so many questions, but did not dare ask any or even so much as speak a single word. Quickly, they accompanied the Queen back to her own room and ran a bath for her, attending her as usual. The routine work was neither complex nor tough, but the girls looked so tense. They wanted to know what the Queen was doing in the ambassador’s room — it was not proper for her to be on her own, meeting with a man who was neither her husband nor her family. But at the same time, the girls were also not sure if they _really_ wanted to know. They might be inexperienced, but they were not absolutely clueless when it came to the implications of a man and a woman spending the night together in the same room. Especially seeing as the Queen’s hair and clothes looked so unkempt that there was barely any dignity and grace in the way she carried herself. Whatever happened in his room last night must have been something unchaste, unclean, unholy, and immoral. The unthinkable indeed.

Finally, the Queen spoke, breaking the silence.

“I need you girls to keep a secret for me,” she said sternly. “No questions asked. You saw nothing, you heard nothing, and all you know is that I spent the entire night in my own room, all by myself.”

Both of them gulped but chorused, “yes, Majesty.”


	26. Got A Secret, Can You Keep It?

As if the affair at the temple never happened, the Queen had soon returned to her residence in the palace and normalcy resumed. She spent the morning trying on different dresses and accessories, and Yunhee attended her the whole time.

Hera, on the other hand, was out and about, running the usual errands. She had done these tasks hundreds of times before but somehow she still made mistakes because she could not focus. Her thoughts were entirely concentrated on her recent discovery about the Queen’s...indiscretions. Of course she had to guard the Queen’s secret but it was too stressful. She had to talk to someone about it or else her head was going to explode. But in this palace, who could she really trust?

As she deliberated over this, she realized that recently she had been avoiding one-on-one chats with Yunhee because no matter what topic their conversation started on, it would more often than not end up becoming something related to the Queen’s dysfunctional marriage to the King. Yunhee had made it crystal clear that she loathed the King, just as Hera had also made it clear that she was against these discussions, even if they were just trying to stand up for the Queen. If Hera could not stop Yunhee from sharing her opinions, she could only personally avoid hearing these opinions.

Apart from Yunhee, the only ever colleague Hera had had was Jisoo. It had not been long since they last met, but it was a vast palace that they worked and lived in, and Hera was currently too far a walk away from Jisoo’s usual post.

On the contrary, Hera was quite near the hall where the King and his council met for daily meetings. Judging from her own shadow on the ground, it was almost noon, which meant that the council meeting was expected to end soon. Hey, this meant Baekhyun was going to be off work soon and that was perfect.

Confidently, Hera strode to one of the corridors leading to the hall, finding a sheltered spot to pause for a bit. She could still afford a little bit of waiting time. Hopefully Baekhyun could make time for her as well.

As she waited, she wondered why it took so long for Baekhyun to come to her mind. He was supposed to be her confidant after all, and vice versa. She felt a little bit guilty, questioning herself and wondering if she was actually good enough for Baekhyun. But maybe it was not that deep; after all, they had only become close over the past few months.

After a few minutes, the King’s advisors began to exit the hall, still discussing certain matters and gossiping in pairs or in groups. Hera spotted Baekhyun easily, but she could not just go up to him as if it were nobody’s business. In others’ eyes, she was representing the Queen, so she must be mindful of her conduct.

Inwardly, Hera was just hoping Baekhyun would notice her standing in the hallway. _Come on, notice me, notice me_ …she thought to herself.

And he did! Discreetly, he made his way to her, grinning and practically skipping.

“You wanted to see me?” He asked mirthfully, puffing up his chest in confidence now that he saw that she was sufficiently interested in him to approach him.

“Yes,” she answered, although nowhere as cheerful as he was. “If you have a moment, could you just walk with me for a bit?”

He nodded, and together they strolled to another part of the palace where a quaint residence was located. It was vacant at the moment but would soon be occupied by an esteemed guest — one of the King’s retired tutors was going to visit the royal court soon, and these were going to be his quarters. The place used to be dusty and ignored, but was refurbished to prepare for the tutor’s visit. The perimeters of the small garden at the entrance were lined with pots of daisies, in alternating rows of red and yellow which was such a pleasant sight.

“Something on your mind?” Baekhyun piped up.

“A lot,” Hera admitted. “But...I’m not allowed to reveal any of it.”

Baekhyun nodded in understanding. “I get it. It’s not my first day at the royal court — I know this place is full of all sorts of secrets.”

Hera sighed. She was frowning the whole time she had this debate with herself. Was it right for the Queen to do this? It was cheating, undeniably. But she just wanted love, and her husband the King was not able to provide her with that. He had failed her too many times, but the ambassador had never once let her down.

“All that I can tell you is that something that shouldn’t have happened...happened. And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I don’t know if it’s right, because it’s not morally permissible, but at the end of the day, they could just be fighting for what they believe in and what they want. It’s probably not up to me to judge, and there’s nothing I can do about it anyway. It’s done. I actually don’t even know what I want from you. Like, I don’t know what I want you to say, or what kind of reaction I’m trying to elicit. It isn’t really validation, or reassurance, or criticism that I’m after. I just...I don’t know.” She shrugged.

Baekhyun listened attentively, but before saying anything in reply, he put a flower in her hair, while she just stared sadly at him.

“You don’t know how nice it is for me when you don’t recoil from my touch,” he commented with a smile. He also took a glance at the earrings that she was wearing — it was the pair that the King used to bring the two of them together. “Anyway, it just sounds like you could use someone to share your burdens with, even if you can’t elaborate on them. And I’m here for you.”

“Lord Baekhyun,” she stated. “You’ve lived for hundreds of years. Have you ever been in love?”

“I...of course,” he answered, still trying to make the connection between this question and what she previously disclosed (or what she could not allow herself to disclose).

“Are you in love, now?”

“Hera, you know how I feel about you, don’t you?”

“Say if the King didn’t take your wishes into consideration, and arranged for you to marry someone else,” she gulped and asked. “Would you cheat on them and have an affair with me?”

He thought about it for a moment, knowing that this question was not what she _really_ wanted to ask; it was just a way for her to dance around the _real_ question on her mind, and he had the mission of figuring out what it was.

He cleared his throat and replied, “you're talking about the King and Concubine Lim, aren't you?”

She did not answer, although it was common knowledge that Concubine Lim Seojung had only become more and more influential these days. The rest of the concubines in the King’s harem tended to recognize _her_ as top dog, and this was concomitant with their decreasing respect for the Queen.

“Anyway, to answer your question — in all honesty, yes, I would,” said Baekhyun, eventually. “Why should I care about someone I don't love? Why shouldn’t I pursue the one I love instead?”

“Does that mean you would choose love over being faithful?”

“Let’s put it this way: I am only faithful to the one I love,” he replied.

“So it’s all a matter of perspective…” she uttered.

“You could think of it that way, yes.”

He could sense that the burden and pressure on her was more than she was ready to carry. The toughest thing about bearing it was probably that she was absolutely not allowed to tell anyone about what happened. But what could he do about it?

In his mind, he was doing a quick review of all that she had ever said to him throughout their previous encounters. She talked about how powerful he was, so could this mean that he ought to make good use of his power to solve crises for her and make her feel better? And if there was information that she could not, for whatever reason, leak to him, he could still find other ways to unearth these secrets. As a monster, this was what he did best.

At the end of the day, all he wanted was to be able to help her, cheer her up, and make her feel that she was not alone in this.

Even after they had to part ways and he went ahead to have lunch, he was still thinking about how to support her in these trying times. He suspected that whatever secrets she was guarding, it had to be for someone she really valued, cared about, and was committed to protecting. This person was most likely the Queen — it was no secret that Hera was very loyal to Her Majesty. So if Baekhyun had to gain access to information about the Queen, but not through Hera...

Baekhyun smirked to himself. It was time to reap what he sowed.

* * *

By the end of the week, the celebrations for the 519th anniversary of the dynasty’s establishment were going to be wrapped up with a lavish feast. Again, the royal family as well as all of the King’s women would be there. On top of that, a lot of other courtiers and aristocrats were invited as well, and Baekhyun was no doubt on the guest list.

As for the King’s consorts, each of them was allowed to bring only one handmaiden with them to the occasion. In the Queen’s case, she usually let her two handmaidens take turns and this time it was Yunhee who got to go. Normally, Baekhyun had no reason to care unless it was Hera who accompanied the Queen to these occasions, but this time, Yunhee’s presence would work perfectly in his favor.

This banquet was a wonderful opportunity for Baekhyun to get what he wanted, so he was not going to waste his time. Within a couple hours, he was already ‘drunk’, loudly praising the sweet wine in front of all the attendees and slurring his words to further reinforce the impression that he was inebriated.

“Lord Baekhyun, you’ve had too much to drink,” the King remarked with a chuckle. He then turned to Court Lady Jeon Taehee and ordered, “get someone to fetch some soup or something for His Lordship to sober up.”

She bowed and accepted the command, but then Baekhyun piped up again.

“No, no, no!” He whined, even standing up and getting out of his seat to make his point. “No, no. There’s no need. No need. I’ll just take a walk in the gardens and then I’ll be fine,” he added, waving his hand dismissively to signal for Taehee to stay where she was. “And when I’m back, there better be more wine and good food waiting for me!”

He started to make his way out of the dining hall, and one of King’s attending eunuchs was sent to accompany him. But he shooed the eunuch away as well, insisting that he wanted to be left alone. In the end, he got his way.

Back in the dining hall, the Queen continued to eat and drink along with the other attendees. But it was chillier in the evening than she thought it would be, so she sent Yunhee to fetch a shawl for her.

Gladly, Yunhee left the room, and tried her absolute best to conceal her excitement until she was completely out of the attendees’ sight and out of their earshot too. Perhaps there was a good chance she could run into Lord Baekhyun while they were both outside. It had been a while since she got to see him and she had missed him so much. She wondered if he had missed her too, and if he longed to see her as well.

At the speed of light, she made her way back to the Queen’s residence to grab the shawl. On her way back to the banquet hall, she did indeed see Lord Baekhyun not far away. She broke into a smile, feeling more successful than ever. Taking a deep breath, she approached him with eagerness and delight.


	27. My Lips Are Sealed

Waiting. Baekhyun was waiting. For the perfect opportunity to get what he wanted. He knew what he was doing, even though to an outsider he was staggering and uttering nonsense, probably about to pass out anytime.

That was what Yunhee saw, so she rushed to his side, scared that he might collapse. This was enough for him to be sure that she had fallen into his trap, and now he was going to take full advantage of it.

“Lord Baekhyun?” She squeaked. “My lord, are you alright?”

He did not give her a coherent answer, continuing to give her the impression that he was inebriated. But once she was close enough, suddenly he leaned on her entirely. She was not prepared to suddenly have to support his weight, so she brought him to the bridge which was a few steps away. He could lean on the handrails and would not risk falling into the pond, at least.

“Ah...where’s my paper boat...where…” he drawled senselessly, continuing to stagger and stumble while Yunhee stayed by his side. She began to get the idea that he was so drunk that he thought it was still the night of the Moon Festival.

“My lord, don’t worry,” she said eagerly. “Your paper boat made it to the opposite side of the lake. Your wish will come true.”

“Whoa?” He squealed drunkenly. “It did?”

She nodded fervently. “Yes. I saw it myself. I won’t lie to you.”

“It did? Yippee!” He exclaimed and started clapping his hands. “Yay! I won! Baekhyunee won!”

Fearing that his excitement would draw too much attention, she thought on her feet and hurriedly placed her palm over his mouth. He was loud enough to alarm the guards and if one of the guards were to approach them to see what was going on, she would no longer be able to spend quality time with Baekhyun and she did not want that.

Seeing as he quieted down after a moment, she withdrew her hand sheepishly. But once she let her guard down, he leaned forward and smashed his lips against hers.

She let out a small noise in astonishment, but not at all in complaint. She froze in disbelief, completely taken aback by how sudden this was. She never thought this would happen, especially not here, but hey, he was kissing her and she had no reason to not kiss him back. This was the man she admired and adored and loved with all her heart after all.

Baekhyun on the other hand kept the kiss going for as long as he could. He knew that she fancied him and was unlikely to reject him, so he did what he did. One of the perks of being a monster was having superpowers, and his unique superpower happened to be the ability to access the memories and thoughts of the person he was kissing. When he locked lips with Yunhee, he did make quite some intriguing discoveries. The images that flashed across his eyes during that lip-lock included the astounded yet mortified look on Hera’s face when she and Yunhee discovered the Queen’s whereabouts in the temple that morning. Oh goodness, how unkempt and messy the Queen’s clothes and hair were. A voice was ringing at the back of Yunhee’s mind — the Queen’s voice, repeating the same sentences over and over again. _I need you girls to keep a secret for me. No questions asked. You saw nothing, you heard nothing, and all you know is that I spent the entire night in my own room, all by myself._

Baekhyun kept going, kissing her from a different angle but not stopping just yet. More images were forming, and he needed to secure his access to those too. The Chinese ambassador’s face was getting clearer, as were fleeting moments of interactions between him and the Queen witnessed by Yunhee, as well as the meaningful glances they exchanged. These images lingered for a moment before they were replaced by memories of some private conversations between Yunhee and Hera. It was mostly Yunhee doing all the talking, feeling sorry for the Queen and grousing about the King. It went on and on for quite some time, so eventually Baekhyun decided to disconnect. He did so by breaking the kiss and pulling away from Yunhee.

Yunhee gasped once she came to her senses. She was still so overwhelmed, needing some time to let this sink in. Not that she had any complaints but he did kiss her out of the blue and it was still very shocking.

Baekhyun was also surprised but at least now he had more clarity and insights into what Hera was so stressed about. The Queen was having an affair with the ambassador from China, and both her handmaidens were privy to this but must guard her secret. Hera would do anything to protect the Queen, but this was not easy to cope with either. This made Baekhyun more resolved to help and support Hera. If protecting the Queen was what Hera wanted, then Baekhyun would also do whatever he could and protect Her Majesty together.

Baekhyun said nothing to Yunhee and only appeared to still be in a daze, still drunk. Yunhee gulped and cleared her throat, knowing that she had to get back to the feast as soon as possible otherwise many questions would be asked. But what happened just now was so memorable to her that she wanted it to be equally memorable to Baekhyun as well — she feared that once he was sober he would forget that this ever happened.

Again thinking on her feet, she took off her hairpin and discreetly slipped it into a pocket lined in his sleeve. She thought she was being subtle, but Baekhyun was actually all too sober to be aware of all that was going on. He did not put up a fight, instead gladly letting her do whatever she wanted. He would just like to see just what she would do, if she was under the impression that she could have her way with him.

She took a deep breath and, grasping the Queen’s shawl firmly in her hand, ran away from him. She was reluctant, but it was a must. _No worries_ , she said to herself inwardly, needing the reassurance that she could only count on herself to provide, _I’ll be able to kiss him all I want once he marries me_.

As she rejoined the Queen in the dining hall, she pretended that she never ran into Lord Baekhyun even though deep down she was overjoyed. For the rest of the night, she had to constantly remind herself that she _must_ concentrate on attending the Queen and not on her fantasies of married life with Lord Baekhyun.

Once Baekhyun was alone, he took a rest from acting and wiped his lips with the back of his sleeve. He fished out the hairpin and thought he might as well just throw it away, let it sink to the bottom of the pond or something. It would not even be his loss and it was not a particularly valuable hairpin anyway. But eventually, he changed his mind and decided against it.

 _It would be wiser for me to keep this_ , he thought to himself. _It might be useful to me someday._

* * *

Other than Yunhee and Lord Baekhyun who were absent from the dining hall for a brief while, Court Lady Jeon Taehee also had to run back and forth between the dining hall and the kitchens to fetch food, drinks, utensils, and whatever else the King might need. It was her job and she was going to do it well no matter how much she disliked the King.

On her way from the kitchens back to the dining hall, she glanced at her surroundings and caught sight of two figures — and they were kissing.

She stopped in her tracks immediately. Who would do something so indecent in the _palace_ of all places?

From where she was standing, she was too far away to see their faces properly. And there was also insufficient lighting, which served to further conceal their identities. But judging from their hairstyles, it had to be a man and a woman. It was easier to figure out who the man might be — she could already rule out the possibility of the man being one of the palace guards because he was not clad in armor. And for a man to be in this part in the palace, he had to be someone that the King personally invited, which meant he would be on the guest list for the banquet. From Taehee’s observation, since Lord Baekhyun was the only one who excused himself, he was the most likely suspect.

As for the woman, she was not likely to be any of the King’s consorts either, since they were all seated and dining. It could have been a maid, but then Taehee soon saw that that woman was running in the direction of the dining hall. This could only mean that she was either one of the guests’ attendants or someone serving the meals.

Taehee squinted at the woman’s running figure and noticed that she seemed to be holding something like a shawl. _Hold on_ , thought Taehee to herself. _Didn’t the Queen ask for one just now?_ She did not mean to overhear the Queen’s instructions to her handmaiden, but after all Taehee was standing so near to both the King and the Queen it was hardly possible to not catch a single word.

So it was probably Yunhee, the Queen’s handmaiden. Taehee knew that it was against the rules for any palace servant to be involved in private dalliances. She also knew that Lord Baekhyun, being the King’s best friend _and_ a high-ranking nobleman from a revered clan, would likely not be penalized. But the maid might get shamed and dismissed from service or would have to be transferred to do humiliating work, like the toilet-cleaning department.

Taehee sighed, picking up her pace as she returned to the dining hall. But the whole time she was wondering if she ought to report the couple. She had always thought of herself as someone who adhered firmly to rules. It was also because of the rules she relied heavily on that she had been able to manage her staff so effectively all these years. But even if she were to report them, how would she be able to prove it? Could she even be sure that it was Yunhee and Lord Baekhyun? And would the King and Queen believe her?

Shaking her head, she decided to stop herself from thinking about this. It would be much simpler for her to pretend she never witnessed any of it.

* * *

By the end of the night, everyone went home with their bellies full, and Chanyeol joined Seojung in her chambers as usual.

“Your Majesty, are you sure _you’re_ not the one who’s had too much to drink tonight?” She asked, giggling as she shifted in his lap, allowing him to kiss her all over her face.

“Nonsense,” he replied, shaking his head as he held her even closer. “I just want to show you how much I love you.”

“I see absence makes the heart grow fonder,” she said slyly as he dipped to kiss her jaw. His lips traced the shape of her jawline and trailed all the way down to her collarbone. He had to get her garments out of the way so he could access more of her body. He would love to just kiss and caress her soft, smooth skin and worship her body all night long.

“What do you mean?” He asked halfheartedly, licking and nipping at her neck. He could tell from her quickening breath that she was aroused by what he was doing, which was so very rewarding for him.

“Don’t you remember how intimate we got to be, last time?” She asked coyly.

“I wish I could have done that again just now,” he revealed. It was a pity that the Queen was not absent from the banquet like she was last time. Had that been the case, no doubt Chanyeol would keep Seojung where he wanted her. “Nothing pleases me more than having you close.”

“You had your arm around my waist...like this…” she lifted his chin with her finger so that she could give him a peck on the lips, gazing longingly at him. Her other hand grabbed his and he let her guide him to touch and caress her. He did as she wished while grunting in acknowledgement of what she was talking about. But they were no longer attending a feast and it was just the two of them in the privacy of her chambers. So he had all the freedom to touch her wantonly, even making her squirm and writhe.

“Hmm, you like it when I touch you here?” He asked breathily, gently nibbling on her earlobe. His hand had sneaked up to grope at her breasts, his fingertips ghosting over her nipples before pinching them lightly.

“I love it,” she admitted and also reached out to undress him little by little. Eventually he got impatient and had to take off his clothes by himself before roughly pushing her onto the bed and pinning her down with his weight.

“Majesty!” She pouted. “Go easy on me, please.”

“Absolutely not,” he said mischievously. “I thought you liked it rough.”

“No.” She shook her head whilst letting him slowly wedge her legs open with his knees.

“No?” He arched an eyebrow at her but eventually broke into a smile before giving him a peck on her chin.

“Actually, I changed my mind,” she added singsong. “Be rough with me. I like it.”

“ _Yes, Majesty_ ,” he replied playfully, making her giggle before making her moan and making her feel like _she_ was his Queen through and through.


	28. Stand And Unfold Yourself

Baekhyun met up with Hera the next day, at the same vacant residence that still awaited its upcoming occupant who was supposed to be the King’s former tutor. As long as it remained unoccupied, it made quite the perfect location for their meetups.

“You found out?!” Hera exclaimed. “And you kissed Yunhee — how dare you?! This isn’t the first time you took advantage of her! You also manipulated her last time when she was looking for the handkerchief that the Queen lost!”

Baekhyun cleared his throat. Hera’s reaction was not exactly what he was expecting, but in all honesty he was not sure what to expect.

“So you’re mad because I exploited her for my own gain but not because I was kissing someone else?” He asked. Perhaps he should not have sounded so unapologetic, but to him, what he did was just another way for him to get what he wanted. And he succeeded, so did anything else really matter?

“ _Both_ of these reasons are very valid reasons why I’m mad.” She huffed at him. “I didn’t know that Yunhee had a crush on you but _you_ knew! And you just— how could you?! Ugh, this is going to be so awkward. She’s my co-worker after all!”

“Relax. I used her, yes, but it’s not like I was kissing her because I had feelings for her. If it weren’t for the valuable information she could provide, I wouldn’t even have _thought_ about kissing her. You know I’m all yours, right?”

She sighed as she listened to his explanations. “Well, now that you know what’s been bothering me, surely you know _why_ I couldn’t have told you in detail! A secret is meant to be a _secret_. You weren’t supposed to know about it.”

“Please...don’t stay mad at me,” he pleaded. “I did it because I wanted to let you know that I will be by your side always and support you. I will protect you and everything that you hold dear.”

“But how am I supposed to _trust_ that you will do that?” She questioned. “You’ve violated my trust already.”

Then it was _his_ turn to sigh. “Was there ever enough trust between us, though?” He asked ruefully. “You believe that I would choose my friendship with the King, my loyalty to the King, over what I have with you. You think I will rat you out to the King and expose what the Queen has done. So even if the Queen didn’t make you and Yunhee promise to not tell a single soul, you still wouldn’t have told me.”

“Don’t try to justify your behavior. You didn’t have the right to know,” she insisted. “And was I wrong to have these doubts? Or are you telling me that you would lie to the King? Doesn’t that count as committing treason?”

“I’d just be concealing the truth from him,” he argued. “And how would _I_ possibly have known anything about the Queen and the ambassador? No one has ever said anything to me about it — I got the information from Yunhee, yes, but she didn’t technically _tell_ me.”

She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. “It’s impossible to argue with you. Just...look, I really don’t want to quarrel with you. I want to believe you’re on my side, even though your manipulative ways are just…” she shuddered. “Not recommended, to say the least. So _please_ don’t do it again.”

“Alright, I won’t,” he said meekly. “I promise.”

“At least you keep your promises,” she uttered under her breath. “I trust you _that_ much.”

“But can I ask you something?”

“Why would you need to ask me? Just go to Yunhee. Kiss her and you’ll have your answers,” she snapped.

“Ah, but she doesn’t know the answer to this one,” he whined, lightly stomping his feet.

She glowered at him. “What is it?”

He burst into a giggle. “Are you jealous? That I kissed somebody else.”

“No,” she answered, although her glare only became fierier. “Do whatever you like. I don’t care.”

“Oh, so can I kiss you?”

“No!” She frowned. “That’s preposterous!”

“But you said I can do whatever I li—”

“Don’t you _dare_ do it again!” She cut in indignantly. “Don’t you dare kiss someone else again.”

He let out a series of chuckles, throwing his head back. The more frustrated she looked, the more amused he was.

“What are you laughing at?” She demanded, completely serious. “It’s not funny. Really, it isn’t.”

“Why am I not allowed to kiss someone else?”

“Because…well, because...” she panicked. “B-because I say so!”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “Because you say so?”

“Yes!”

“So I’m supposed to be an obedient husband to my lady wife?” He winked.

She felt as if she was about to lose her mind. She inhaled deeply, and then exhaled slowly to calm herself down.

“If that’s what you want, I can do it,” he offered puckishly.

“What I _want_ ,” she stated, much more serious than he was. “No, actually, what I _need_ , is for you to guard the Queen’s secret just as _I_ have been doing. This is serious, Lord Baekhyun. I will tolerate your humor and jokes about our...our relationship, but when it comes to the Queen, I am absolutely serious. I will not allow any harm to come to her, not even from you. Or I will _never_ forgive you and you will carry this baggage with you for the rest of your immortal life.”

His grin vanished and the seriousness on his face now matched hers. “I understand. I won’t tell. And I _will_ protect you. If that means having to protect the Queen as well then I’ll do that too. You know I’m a man of my word.”

After a moment, she let out a sigh in relief and nodded. “Thank you.”

“Hera, are you still mad at me?” He asked softly.

“What do you think?”

He pouted. “Would you be willing to listen to me if I say I can tell you a story and it’s going to make you...less mad?”

She definitely did not want to let him off the hook so easily, but he was pouting at her and she was curious. So, she nodded and gestured for him to begin.

“Do you remember the first time we met?” He asked.

“Hmm, that was several years ago, wasn’t it? It was at the royal wedding, right? When the King was still the Crown Prince at the time,” she replied. “Actually, I’d heard of you before, of course. Like, who doesn’t know Lord Byun Baekhyun? The Crown Prince’s best friend. But we didn’t meet until the wedding day and…” gradually, a smile was forming on her face. “And we chatted at the wedding, and back then I _thought_ I knew all about the extent of your involvement in the undoing of the Lee clan. I already disliked you but I tried to suppress my prejudice because I didn’t want to make enemies out of consideration for the Queen.”

“Yes. And all eyes were on the newlyweds, but I...I was already captivated by your beauty,” he admitted, smiling too. “But after the wedding, there was also another time when we crossed paths; you just didn’t know it was me.”

“Oh, when was that?”

“It was the first New Year’s Eve after the royal wedding, when you and the Queen disguised yourselves as commoners to see how the commoners in nearby cities would celebrate the New Year. I was there too, but you didn’t know, because I disguised myself as an old man instead — you know we monsters can manipulate our bodies to look any age we choose.”

“Hold on. You... _you_ were the old man?” She gasped. “You were the old man who tripped and fell? Then I rushed to help you up...that was _you_?”

He nodded impishly. “Yes, that was me. I pretended to trip and fall because I wanted to test your character without letting you know who I really was. It might seem weird to you but in my point of view, I was just trying to see what kind of a person you were. Because it’s not all about looks, you know? I already know you’re very pretty, but personality matters too. And it turns out you’re not heartless.”

She huffed again. “Flattery will get you nowhere, my lord.”

“What can I say, I was already smitten with you at the time.”

“And are you sure this is supposed to make me stop being mad at you?”

“It’s a start. There’s a lot more I want to tell you about, stuff that was my doing, stuff that you’ve been oblivious to the whole time,” he said mysteriously. “I will come clean to you about those things too. It will be a long story but if we’re going to confide freely in each other then I will tell you all that you wish to know.”

“Alright.” She nodded. “Go ahead.”

And so Baekhyun began.

Several years ago, before Korea and Khitan were at war, Khitan was eager to make peace with Korea. A common way for nations to achieve peace was to set up a marital alliance, and this was done by arranging for a Khitan princess to marry King Chanyeol.

Princess Myeongsook was the daughter of the King of Khitan at the time. Her biological mother was a lowly maid who was not even officially part of the King’s harem. But the maid died in childbirth and so the baby, who would grow up to be Princess Myeongsook, was raised by the Queen of Khitan instead, thereby legitimating her status as a Princess. Normally, she should have been married off as the legitimate wife of someone powerful, which meant that Chanyeol was not an option as he was already married to Hwangbo Seulwon. But as there was civil unrest in Khitan at the time, the King of Khitan decided that the best course of action was to send his daughter into Chanyeol’s harem anyway. It was for the best, politically and in terms of her safety, to be living in the royal court of Korea.

There, she became Chanyeol’s concubine but this was not good enough for her. In fact, having to settle for just being a concubine rather than an official consort was quite humiliating for a Princess. Thus she sought to overthrow Queen Seulwon because she felt that _she_ was the one who was more entitled to be Queen consort, as she was the daughter of a royal whereas Seulwon was just the daughter of an aristocrat.

And so, Myeongsook started to take down Seulwon’s supporters in the harem, one by one. There used to be quite a number of concubines who still respected the Queen, and they did not appreciate Myeongsook’s attitude when she was around the Queen or other concubines. So it was neither a surprise nor a secret that Myeongsook was never short of enemies, but she was not intimidated and instead she gradually eliminated her rivals with her schemes. Eventually, even someone as close to the Queen as her personal attendant — Hera — fell victim to Myeongsook’s ploys.

Hera’s loyalty to the Queen was, in part and indirectly, her undoing. She was bold and fearless in standing up to Myeongsook when defending the Queen, which gave Myeongsook the perfect excuse to penalize Hera. And yet Hera refused to accept the punishment, and even tried to stop Myeongsook from issuing disproportionately heavy penalties to other servants who made very trivial mistakes. Technically, she _did_ break the rules by disrespecting a high-ranking concubine — she might have been _representing_ the Queen but at the end of the day she was _not_ the Queen. She was just a servant and Myeongsook felt the need to remind her of that. There was no way Hera could get away with her misbehavior, and if the Queen defended her and let her off the hook solely because she was the Queen’s handmaiden, then it would spell trouble for the Queen as well because the Queen would not have been able to maintain her neutrality and fairness as was expected for someone in her position, which would reflect poorly on Her Majesty — this was the trap that Myeongsook had set for the Queen.

In the end, Hera got demoted to doing menial labor in the kitchen department, under Court Lady Jeon Taehee, but not directly — Hera had to labor as the lowest-ranking maid there. Her job duties included delivering meals to the eunuchs in the toilet-cleaning department. It was unpleasant, but she did all of it without complaint, and Baekhyun witnessed all of it. Not personally, but through someone else’s eyes — Jisoo’s.

It was during the time when Hera got demoted that she and Jisoo became colleagues and subsequently friends. Jisoo used to be a servant under the Lee clan, but when the clan got wiped out by the law, she knew that she would either be sold into slavery or would have to become a prostitute. Either way, she had to make a living, and her options were _very_ limited especially since she barely received any formal education. This was unfortunate, but still within Baekhyun’s expectations. Although he was not able to stop the children of the Lee clan from being executed — which was what Hera had previously blamed him for — he was still able to save a number of innocent servants, such as Jisoo, from destitution. He placed her and the other servants into different households or different departments in the palace, so he was effectively using his influence to do good, and Hera never knew about that.

As an expression of gratitude to Lord Baekhyun, Jisoo was willing to do anything to repay him. So he pulled some strings and transferred her into the same department as Hera was demoted to, so that Jisoo could support and look after Hera on Baekhyun’s behalf. He also specified that it was important for Jisoo to not let anyone know that she was acquainted with him at all. Jisoo agreed right away, and vowed to do her best to take care of Hera. This was particularly important because the matrons working there were not exactly known for being merciful and kind — both Jisoo and Hera had heard of cases where these matrons had other servants and maids flogged or whipped to death for making mistakes, which certainly threatened the two girls into staying alert all the time.

Whilst Jisoo did Baekhyun’s bidding and reported to him regularly about how Hera was doing, Jisoo also became quite sure that Baekhyun had some special feelings for Hera. Why else would he care so much?

Baekhyun was not the only one who cared about Hera, though. The Queen was also invested in Hera’s wellbeing, and sent someone to secretly bribe the matron who was supposed to be Hera’s immediate superior, Matron Kang, so that she would treat Hera kindly and assign the least demanding tasks to her. Matron Kang accepted the payments, but nothing changed. The treatment that Hera received remained the same. The truth? Matron Kang was actually controlled by Princess Myeongsook as the matron’s family got taken hostage by a team of mercenaries who worked for Her Highness. This left Matron Kang with no choice but to do whatever Myeongsook wanted her to do, which was to bully Hera and to give her a difficult time. The Queen was unbeknownst to all of this, so she kept sending money to Matron Kang without knowing it was futile and failed to improve Hera’s situation.

Baekhyun, on the other hand, had been spying on Matron Kang and Hera’s other colleagues enough to know what was going on between the Matron and Princess Myeongsook. But at the end of the day he only got to know all these things from _spying_ , so he needed a cover-up for that too. Hence, he approached Court Lady Jeon Taehee about this matter.

Fortunately, like a lot of other palace servants, Taehee hated Princess Myeongsook too. Taehee also believed that Hera did not deserve such a harsh punishment, so it was not difficult for Baekhyun to talk her into cooperating with him. In fact, Taehee would even benefit from working with Baekhyun. If Matron Kang got caught abusing her power and bullying Hera, and if Taehee were absolutely oblivious to it, then Taehee would be penalized as well for her negligence and incompetence in managing her staff well. So why would Taehee risk it?

And so Baekhyun and Taehee teamed up to secretly investigate this. On top of all the spying that was of course not allowed, Baekhyun was actually not supposed to be meddling with affairs within the palace as this was not his business — these matters were supposed to be left to the King and the Queen to personally handle. It was just because he needed to protect Hera; otherwise he would not have gotten himself involved. He revealed this to Taehee, but also knew that Taehee would not expose him because he was helping her too by letting her know about what Matron Kang was up to, and therefore saving her from criticism or penalty as the head of her department.

Albeit aware of Matron Kang’s duplicity, Baekhyun and Taehee never told the Queen about this because it would make her stop paying Matron Kang, which would then alarm the matron and make her think that the Queen knew about the work she had been doing for Myeongsook. Taehee and Baekhyun could expect that if the Queen were to confront Myeongsook about Matron Kang, then the matron would be done for and her innocent family members might be harmed. Seeing as Matron Kang was just threatened into working for Myeongsook, Baekhyun indirectly protected her and her family by not informing the Queen of the matron’s duplicity. All along, not once was he fine with innocents getting harmed, unlike what Hera thought of him initially.

Soon enough Baekhyun and Taehee found the chance to rescue the matron’s family, and brought them somewhere safe from Myeongsook and her goons. Then Taehee and Baekhyun talked Matron Kang into ratting Myeongsook out as Myeongsook no longer had leverage over her. At the same time, she was required to keep quiet about the money she had accepted from the Queen. Matron Kang agreed, but there still remained a problem: she would only be able to provide her side of the story which would not be enough to indict Myeongsook, because technically anyone could just make something up and then make accusations.

As such, Matron Kang had to be honest with Taehee and Baekhyun about how she and Myeongsook’s handmaiden relayed messages to each other, how often they did so, and where they would meet up. With this information, Taehee alone arranged for the Queen to catch them in the act, and it worked. The Queen and Taehee brought Myeongsook’s handmaiden to the King, to indict Myeongsook as well as prove that Hera was a victim and was getting heavier punishment than she deserved. Myeongsook was then confronted about it but denied everything and instead blamed everything on her handmaiden for acting on her behalf. This resulted in the handmaiden getting incarcerated.

Angry with Myeongsook’s heartlessness and for pinning all the blame on her, the handmaiden decided to betray Myeongsook by listing out all of her schemes against the Queen and her supporters, as well as against other concubines who were in favor with the King out of her jealousy. These crimes included adding contraceptive powder into a bracelet that one of the concubines wore every day to prevent her from getting pregnant, as well as framing another concubine for theft. The handmaiden wrote all of these down in detail, and then committed suicide to prove that she was telling the truth and not saying it just so she could live and get away with it. Both the King and the Queen then carried out investigations and rounds of interrogations, and eventually found out from Myeongsook’s goons that she did indeed commit all these crimes. By law, she had to be punished with death, but because of her royal status, she was only put under house arrest indefinitely. However, that did not last long either — very soon, she took her own life. It was suspected that she could not cope with her own failure and downfall so she hung herself.

Of course, Hera was also allowed to return to the Queen’s service. But the whole time, both Taehee and Jisoo concealed Baekhyun’s involvement in _any_ of this. Once Hera rejoined the Queen’s household, she did wonder how come Taehee came to be aware of Matron Kang’s involvement. Baekhyun also expected that she would have this question, so he arranged for Jisoo to lie and claim that she was the one who reported the bullying to Taehee and then Taehee investigated the report discreetly.

By the time Baekhyun was finished with telling this story to Hera, she was in tears. She teared up thinking about how tough it was to be working there and to live in fear of more severe punishments as the law knew no mercy and power could so easily be abused. But above that, it was Baekhyun’s involvement and aid that moved her to tears. She never knew just how much he had done for her. How could she not be touched by it?

“My lord…” she sniffled. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. And I judged you so harshly and you still didn’t mind and you still want to be with me. I was right to think to myself, just the other day, that I don’t deserve you.”

“But of course you do,” he said in reassurance. “And there’s no need to blame yourself for not knowing any of it. That was kinda the whole point of it. I didn’t want anyone to know. It was not appropriate for me, in my place, to be involved. I’m sure you understand that.”

“I do understand that,” she replied, feeling sort of ashamed for herself. He had done so much for her, and it was making her want to do just as much for him. It was not because she felt indebted to him — she _was_ indeed indebted to him but she wanted to do the same for him because he had proven himself to be someone who was worth it.

“Hera, please, I don’t mean to make you cry,” he replied, and she did not know that his tone could get _even_ gentler than that. “As I said, I just didn’t want you to stay mad at me. I hope you’re not mad anymore?”

She shook her head fervently to answer his question. When she reached into her pocket for her handkerchief to dry her eyes, her knuckles brushed past an object and it reminded her of something important — she was supposed to give that item to Baekhyun!

“I...I’ve been meaning to give this to you,” she revealed, handing a talisman to him. “I heard that the King has assigned a task to you?”

“Yes. There have been reports of uprisings in a few provinces, so the King is sending me there to see if these reports are true. If they are, then I have to try to suppress the uprising and pacify the people,” he explained. “The King decided to send me because he knows that my persuasiveness is one of my strongest assets.”

“Right. This talisman...please keep this with you at all times. It will keep you safe,” she stated. “I made this with my magic. Um, I did it secretly, of course...”

Grasping the talisman firmly in his hand, he smiled and could not have been happier. “Hera, I do have a place in your heart, don’t I?”

She realized that it was not just when he was pouting at her but also when he was smiling at her like this that it made her heart melt. “I…” she gulped. “I, uh…”

“Please, Hera. I will keep your secret — the Queen’s secret. I won’t tell anyone, not even the King,” he added in reassurance. “Besides, it would just bring him distress and plunge the nation in turmoil and instability once more. Perhaps I don’t have to be torn between being a good friend to the King and being someone you can trust.”

“I trust you,” she said right away, firmly and confidently. “When will you have to leave court?”

“In a few days’ time,” he answered. “I can’t wait to come back to you already.”

“When you do come back, I will tell you something important.”

“Something important?” He asked. “But if it’s so important, then I have to know about it now.”

“I’ll tell you when you come back and _only_ then,” she insisted and grinned at him mischievously. “You’ve waited so long already; it wouldn’t hurt to just wait a bit longer.”

“Hey, why won’t you tell me now?” He pouted again, which made her walk away from him before she gave in to his cuteness.

“It’s a secret!” She teased. “Stay safe, my lord. Remember, there’s important news waiting for you once you come back!”


	29. Acting Up

Finally, the King’s retired tutor had made it to the royal court, staying in the residence that had been assigned to him. The King had been catching up with his former tutor since lunchtime, spending the afternoon merrily.

The Queen, on the other hand, seemed to not have much of an appetite today and only ate very little for lunch.

“Is Your Majesty feeling unwell?” Yunhee asked worriedly.

Seulwon looked grim as she replied, “my blood days are late this month.”

“Shall I go and summon a physician?” Yunhee offered.

“No, don’t,” Seulwon answered quickly. “They’re just going to give me more medicine and herbal soup but those don’t seem to be very effective — my cycle is still so irregular. The matrons who are supposed to monitor my cycle have pretty much given up on trying to record my fertile days of the month. It’s just...chaotic. Whatever. I don’t know. I can’t remember the last time the King visited me — what are the chances I’ll be pregnant anyway?”

 _But what if you really are pregnant?_ The voice at the back of her mind was growing louder. _You know what you’ve done. And the King certainly isn’t responsible for it._

“Still, perhaps it would be better for a physician to at least come and check,” Yunhee suggested. “Just to make sure it’s not some other illness or condition we don’t know about.”

Seulwon shuddered and frowned. What if she really got pregnant, and the physician could tell? No, she could never risk it.

“Not now,” she said gravely. What she needed most urgently was not a physician — it was her husband. “Yunhee, where did you put all the jewelry that the King has given me over the years?”

The handmaiden was surprised, but answered the question honestly and took out the relevant boxes for the Queen’s inspection. She glanced at the hairpins and earrings that she once cherished because they were given to her by the King, the man she used to love the most. The sentiment was different now, but it was time to put these accessories on again, for an important purpose.

Yunhee could not believe her ears when she heard the Queen declare that she wanted to wear these today. But it was what the Queen wanted and Yunhee could only obey, wordlessly combing the Queen’s hair and putting these accessories where they should go.

Afterward, Yunhee asked again, “is there anything else I can help Your Majesty with?”

“I want you to send word to the King,” she announced mysteriously. “Tell His Majesty that I’ve made some chrysanthemum wine that will be served for dinner this evening, alongside black soybean noodles and marinated beef. Also inform Court Lady Jeon Taehee of this, and then prepare a pot of the chrysanthemum wine to be served tonight.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

* * *

The Queen’s plan worked. For once, instead of spending the evening with Concubine Lim, the King had decided to visit the Queen instead, tempted by the food and wine that was on the menu this evening. They ate and drank comfortably as if there were never any awkwardness stemming from the growing distance between the couple lately.

After the meal, Seulwon took a deep breath and told a lie that she had been rehearsing in her mind. “It feels so nice to get to dine with Your Majesty. It has been a while since the last time we were able to do this together.”

“We should do this more often then,” said the King jovially as he finished his wine. The alcohol was not at all strong, enough to lower his inhibitions but not to the point where he had no idea what he was doing or saying.

“I would be so pleased if Your Majesty would visit me more often,” she said without the slightest trace of displeasure or anger. She kept her tone soft, as if to invite his sympathy and perhaps even guilt-trip him a little. Indeed, he gulped and nodded, perhaps feeling a bit of remorse for having neglected her for so long.

“I heard that you quite like the gayageum that I had custom-made for you,” he replied.

“Oh, yes! I love it. It’s so thoughtful of Your Majesty,” she lied again, with even more excitement in her tone this time. “Shall I play a song for Your Majesty? It’s the least I can do to show my appreciation.”

Chanyeol accepted the offer, and Yunhee went to fetch the instrument. Then the Queen sat down at the bench on which the gayageum was placed, and started to play. The King watched in appreciation as she plucked at the strings with her delicate fingers to produce beautiful melodies that only further improved his mood.

“As always, you play beautifully,” Chanyeol commented with a smile afterward. Seulwon could recall that Yifan also praised her for that, when they were in the woods that day. But she only cared about Yifan’s compliments and could no longer bring herself to feel anything but indifference toward Chanyeol’s praise.

“Thank you, Majesty,” she replied with a graceful smile too. She looked so happy one moment but then the next, Chanyeol found that her smile was diminishing and she looked sad instead.

“What’s wrong?” He asked innocently.

“It’s nothing, Your Majesty. You don’t have to worry about me.”

Chanyeol did not buy any of it. “Is something the matter?”

“It’s just...it’s just…”

“If you’ll tell me, perhaps I can see if there’s anything I can do about it this time.”

He sounded surprisingly sincere, which exceeded her expectations. It also made her believe more firmly that the remorse was kicking in as she noted how he said ‘this time’, which meant there was a ‘last time’ when he failed to do anything to help her or make her feel better. Obviously he was referring to the time when he was unable to do anything to redeem her brother who was in captivity at the time.

“Your Majesty’s presence already makes me feel a lot better,” she insisted, even though the sorrow in her tone still got through to him.

“Are you sure?” He asked, frowning in concern.

She sighed and glanced at her handmaidens, signaling for them to leave the room for a while so she could enjoy some privacy with the King. Once they were alone, she sniffled and covered her eyes with her sleeve as if she were crying and trying to hide it. She was waiting for him to feel sorry for her, and she got what she wanted when he stepped out of his seat and approached her. Once the timing was right, she rose to her feet and threw herself into his arms. She was clinging to him as if she were about to drown in a bottomless ocean and he was the only log of wood in sight that remained afloat. She kept her eyes shut, hoping that her long eyelashes would remind him that although she might not be his favorite, he never had a problem with her looks.

He was taken aback by her reaction, but wrapped his arms around her nevertheless. Wow, it had been such a long time since they had this kind of physical contact. He _still_ did not know how to soothe her — he said as much to Baekhyun previously, and even now, he still had no clue what he ought to do or say. He could only awkwardly rub her back and stroke her hair, which drew his attention to a hairpin she was wearing — it was relatively old, among the very first batch of jewelry that he gave her in the early days of their marriage. It brought back the good old days when they were still very much interested in each other.

When she finally loosened her arms around his waist a little bit, she looked up at him pitifully and spoke. “It has been too long since I got to hold you like this. I miss my husband so much,” she admitted tearfully. “I just want to make you happy, but we’ve become so distant from each other that you’re almost untouchable to me, and that breaks my heart.”

Although most of it was acting on her part, at some point it was actually the truth. It was before she fell for Yifan, and when she still believed that there was hope for her relationship with Chanyeol. But like her old gayageum, it was broken beyond repair and would never be the same again.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered affectionately. “I’m here now.”

If he were saying these words to her months ago, perhaps before Concubine Lim came into the picture, she might still have believed him. But now, she was just angry, so angry, that he would even have the audacity to _apologize_. Still, she kept her façade going and sniffled again.

“No, I should be the one apologizing,” she lied. “I gave you such a hard time over my brother’s situation and I wasn’t able to support you through it all. I only added to your burdens and did nothing to help. As a wife and as a Queen I have failed you. How could I have been so selfish? I should’ve put you first…”

“Oh, no…I wish you wouldn’t blame yourself. And it makes me sad too, to hear you say such things. I never thought of it this way,” he said tentatively. His hesitation and awkwardness once again cemented his belief that he was really bad at comforting her. “You are still my wife at the end of the day. That hasn’t changed,” he added as he recalled the conversation he had with his tutor earlier that day. His tutor also urged him to mend his relationship with the Queen, so he figured he would give it a try.

“What kind of a wife am I if I can’t even bear children for my husband?” She questioned, deliberately sounding harsh in berating herself so that it would spur him on to do the opposite and console her instead.

“We’re still young. There is still hope for us. As long as you’re willing to try, I won’t give up either,” he replied, gazing at her tenderly and with earnestness in his eyes.

She held eye contact with him for a moment, but then shielded her gaze and looked away as if she were too shy to engage in further discussion about how exactly they should _try_. He smiled at her in reassurance and took her hand in his, leading her to her bedchambers.

It felt awkward. Both of them were far from virgins, but it had been so long since they last _saw_ each other, let alone _touch_ each other, that they were not sure how to begin. Chanyeol licked his lips in hesitation. With Seojung he never had to wonder where to start or what to do first — it was always happening already before he even knew it. With anyone else, it just did not feel as natural.

Seeing her naked body was certainly good enough to get him in the mood, though. It was an effective reminder that even though she was not Seojung, her beauty was stunning as well, in her own way. Soon enough, they were on the bed, their clothes coming off piece by piece as they locked lips and touched each other fervently. He fondled her breasts and then slowly roamed his hands over her flat tummy, caressing her with tenderness and fondness. He was _constantly_ pressured to ‘put a child in her’ but tonight he _really_ did not want to think about his advisors or anyone else. He just wanted to reconnect with his wife and for both of them to enjoy themselves. Cupping her face, he kissed her even more deeply, coaxing her into relaxing for him. He was such a gentle yet passionate lover and he made her feel so good in bed that she was _almost_ tempted to take him back and forgive him for the way he treated her. Almost.

By the end of the night, he slept soundly in her arms whereas she stayed awake with too many thoughts on her mind. There was a time when she loved him. Truly, truly loved him. But she did not feel that way about him anymore. She had hardened her heart against him after he failed her again and again.

He looked so pure, and soft, and sweet, and cute, sleeping like this. Too bad she was just using him tonight, needing to sleep with him as a way to protect herself. In case she really got pregnant from the night she spent with Yifan, it would still look convincing that the baby was her husband’s and not her lover’s.

She felt a small pang of guilt for using him like this and lying to him. But that feeling faded as soon as she thought to herself, _when tomorrow comes he will forget all about our intimacy tonight and the words he said to me over dinner just now. He will run back to Concubine Lim just like he does every day. But I got what I wanted tonight, and that’s good enough._


	30. People Come And People Go

Having spent the night with the Queen, the next morning the King was expected to go about his daily routine as usual. He endured several long, boring hours of the council meeting and then finally made it to lunchtime when he could dine with his best friend, which was something he had been looking forward to.

Baekhyun cleared his throat and piped up. “The servants have been spreading a rumor about the King’s whereabouts last night,” he began, subtly or not-so-subtly testing the King’s attitude toward his unstable relationship with the Queen.

“There’s nothing scandalous about it. I was with the Queen,” Chanyeol replied with a shrug. “Must be such a surprise since I always prefer Seojung to all my other women. But I guess I can’t ignore the Queen forever. And she prepared my favorite food and drink for dinner last night so...I guess it’s true that the way to my heart is through my stomach.”

“I hope everything went well between Your Majesties?”

“Hmm, I suppose so. She was rather emotional, and it was rather awkward at first. But overall, things went much more smoothly than I could’ve hoped for, given the growing distance between us due to recent events,” he explained. “What sort of surprised me, though, is that...I don’t know, there just seems to be something different about the way Seulwon has been behaving, especially when we’re...intimate.”

Baekhyun, of course, knew why that was the case. He had already learned about the Queen’s secret after all, and he was committed to guarding the secret and keeping the promise that he made to Hera. So to the King, Baekhyun simply said, “it’s probably just because you haven’t visited Her Majesty in such a long time. Anything that’s dissimilar to the way Concubine Lim does it would feel different or even foreign to Your Majesty.”

“Ah…” Chanyeol nodded, accepting Baekhyun’s explanation without a fight. “That makes sense.”

“Either way, it seems the relationship between Your Majesties is improving,” Baekhyun pointed out.

“Indeed, baby steps are better than nothing. It’s a relief to me.”

“I am glad to hear that. It’s a relief to me, too, to know that Your Majesty now has one less burden to deal with. This way, I can embark on my mission tomorrow without having to worry about how Your Majesty is doing,” replied Baekhyun.

“Ah, right, you’re leaving court tomorrow. Have you packed everything you need?” Chanyeol asked. “Let me know if you need anything. Although I have great confidence in you and I’m sure you’ll be able to bargain with the people and come to a consensus with them.”

“Yes, Majesty,” Baekhyun answered. “I will definitely do my best and not let you down.”

* * *

The following day, Baekhyun and his retinue processioned out of the royal court as scheduled. Baekhyun was on horseback and smiled at the people who were cheering him on — it was no secret that he was quite popular, especially with the palace maids. Like many other women in the kingdom, these maids wanted to get a taste of what it would be like to lead a luxurious and comfortable life. It was understandable that they would fantasize about becoming the King’s concubine and being able to wield unimaginable power. But they were also reminded on a daily basis that the King would never look twice at them, not when he was so infatuated with Concubine Lim whose beauty was unmatched. So, many palace maids turned to the next best alternative, Lord Byun Baekhyun, who was also very attractive, in terms of both looks and social status. Most importantly, Lord Baekhyun was _single_.

Many palace maids considered themselves lucky for being able to so much as catch a glimpse of His Lordship when he was on the way out. Baekhyun himself, however, kept searching the crowds for one particular figure, hoping to find a familiar face — Hera. He wondered if she would be here to see him off. Although he was usually optimistic, this time he was not so sure. He had not forgotten that Yunhee was absolutely smitten with him, so it was much more likely that _she_ would be among the crowds, which meant that the responsibility of having to attend the Queen personally would fall onto Hera alone, and Hera was way too loyal to the Queen to be willing to abandon Her Majesty to go all the way to the palace gates just take a glance at her suitor.

But for once Baekhyun was wrong. He did not see Yunhee’s face so he could not be sure if she was here, but either way it would not matter to him. What was important was that _Hera_ was here. He could not believe his eyes when he looked up to make a saccade across the balconies. He saw both Hera and Jisoo standing there, just smiling at him proudly. They did not have to make loud noises or gesticulate wildly to draw his attention. As soon as he spotted them, he smiled too and reached for the talisman that Hera gave him the other day. Feeling its presence and getting reminded of Hera’s affections for him made him feel much more safe, comfortable, and confident. He could not wait to complete the mission and return to court so that he could be reunited with her — and finally get to find out the special answer that she had been withholding from him.

* * *

Every time Baekhyun was away, it made Chanyeol realize just how much of a support system Baekhyun was. Not just as a friend but also as an important voice and supporter in the council. Meetings with his advisors became even less tolerable when Baekhyun was absent.

The topic of the alliance with China came up during the meeting, inevitably. The tentative decision was for the nation to pretend to be excited for Princess Jiwon to wed the Crown Prince of China, and so this must be accompanied by some visible action on the Princess’ part.

“So what should I do?” Jiwon asked innocently as she and the King had lunch together.

“You must demonstrate to everyone that you are looking forward to this marriage,” Chanyeol announced. “We will make all the necessary preparations as well. So don’t be afraid to be very vocal in asking for whatever you think you will need when you’re all the way there in China. Whether or not we actually end up following through with these plans is another matter. We can still stall for a bit and see if there are any alternatives.”

Jiwon nodded obediently. “I can do it. You want me to make it obvious, right? I’m thinking about approaching the Chinese ambassador more often so everyone at court will be able to see just how eager I am. I will always have an excuse to visit him and learn more about the Chinese culture — I actually genuinely find some of it interesting anyway.”

“It’s not a bad idea, although I’m still distrustful of him. Yes, he led troops and helped us win the war, and perhaps for that we ought to be thankful to him, but at the end of the day he’s a _foreigner_. We must always have our guard up around foreigners; it’s just a matter of how well we conceal it,” Chanyeol explained.

“Well then, should I keep my distance from him?”

“Technically, you can just ask the ambassador for books and artwork for your reference,” he suggested, but she whined at that.

“But I’m so bored in the palace,” she complained. “It’d be nice if I could venture out for a bit. It’s not like the ambassador’s residence is way outside the royal city so you don’t have to worry about the distance. A palanquin will certainly suffice, not to mention I’ll have my own handmaidens and other servants attending me, so I won’t be—”

“Ah, but these servants won’t be able to _supervise_ you,” he cut in. Although he also affectionately gave her a boop on the nose, knowing what his little cousin must be up to. “They’re servants, so they _have_ to listen to you and do as you say. Everyone just lets you have your way since you’re a royal. What happens if and when you misbehave and get into trouble?”

“But I won’t! I’ll be on my best behavior!” She insisted. “Really, I will!”

“I’ll let the Queen decide that,” he replied with a chuckle. “She’s the one in charge of preparing your dowry, so it’s even more befitting. Go ask Her Majesty to accompany you on your visits to the ambassador’s quarters.”

“Alright,” she drawled.

“Be a good girl,” he added, patting her softly on the head. “Don’t give the Queen a difficult time, you understand? Think twice — thrice — before you speak. You remember what happened last time, don’t you?”

She nodded apologetically. “I won’t do that again. But I do hope the Queen will be able to conceive a child soon. I want to have someone to play with.”

Chanyeol laughed. “You don’t have to worry about that. Besides, I thought you enjoyed being the youngest royal? It’s been this way for so many years — if a little Prince or Princess comes along and usurps your place, are you sure you’d be able to cope with that?”

“Ah! You’re making fun of me. You’re so mean.” She stuck her tongue out at him, which only made him giggle.

“I suppose I will have to have a son, then, so that you can still be the youngest, loveliest Princess at my court,” he said merrily. “How does that please my Princess?”

“ _That’s_ more like it!” She grinned. “But honestly, I’m surprised Concubine Lim isn’t pregnant yet.”

Chanyeol stiffened and paused for a moment before asking, “Jiwon-ah, do you know where babies come from?”

Then it was the Princess’ turn to pause. She looked to be in deep thought for a moment before finally admitting, “I dunno.”

“Hmm.” Chanyeol nodded in relief. “Let’s keep it that way.”

“But now you’ve made me curious!”

“I’m sure you’ll learn all about it when it’s time for you to get married.”

“Which is soon, right? You said I’m supposed to act like I’m about to get married,” she replied confidently.

“I mean _actually_ get married,” he clarified.

She shrugged. “If you won’t tell me, I will just ask the ambassador when I see him.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened right away. “No! Don’t do that.”

“Why not? I want to know. And he also said that my duty as a wife is to bear children for my husband anyway. So it's important for me to know!”

He frowned. “It’s simply not appropriate, nor is it his job to explain these things to you.”

“Then whose is it?” She pressed on impatiently. “Shall I go ask the Queen instead? Oh! Or perhaps I should ask Concubine Lim!”

“Absolutely not! You’d just be making them feel awkward. I don’t want you to do that,” he stated sternly. “Just leave it to the matrons — they’ll let you know at around the time of your wedding ceremony.”

“I guess I’ll have to wait then…” she sighed, knowing the privileges she got to enjoy but also mindful of the King’s authority.

“Yes. So be patient. You’ll learn all about it one day and there’s no rush, really,” he added, eager to close the topic. “What you _may_ ask the ambassador about is, for example, how the women at the Chinese court present themselves at social occasions, marital customs, and other traditions that we don’t practice here...you get what I mean, right?”

Jiwon pouted, but still nodded and obeyed. “Then I will go to the Queen as soon as we finish this meal.”

* * *

Blissfully ignorant of the Queen’s affair, Princess Jiwon approached the Queen happily and got Her Majesty to agree to pay a visit to the ambassador’s residence together that afternoon.

When they arrived, greetings were exchanged as usual. Jiwon suspected nothing between the Queen and the ambassador as both of them pretended they never had any private meetups. The acting part was not too difficult as, thankfully, the young Princess was innocent and gullible.

“The Crown Prince thinks of his fiancée often,” said Yifan to Jiwon. “Since His Highness has yet to have the chance to see Your Highness in person, he has sent his portrait as well as some jewelry for you, and he hopes that you will accept these as a token of his affections,” he explained. “These items are placed in another room at the moment. Would Your Highness like to go and take a look?”

“Yes!” She answered enthusiastically. “I can’t wait! Let’s go now!”

Gladly, Yifan led the way out. While they were chatting indoors just now, it was raining quite heavily, but not anymore. Still, some puddles remained. The Queen was about to warn the young Princess to be careful, but before she could finish her sentence, Jiwon had slipped on a puddle and fell.

Jiwon cried out in pain and instantly drew everybody’s attention. The Queen and other handmaidens helped her up, but she was unable to stand on her own.

“My ankle hurts!” She exclaimed, wincing in pain. “Help me!”

The Prince and his guard exchanged worried glances, after which Zitao hurriedly went to fetch a physician. The others, with much effort, managed to bring the Princess indoors and carried her to the nearest guest room where she could lie down. Hera also offered to personally go and report this to the King — His Majesty would _surely_ be angry and worried, but not so likely to lash out at Hera because of what she meant to his best friend.

“Make sure the Princess stays where she is,” said the King gruffly. “Don’t let her move around. No walking, unless it’s absolutely necessary. I will visit her tomorrow in the afternoon.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Hera replied, and quickly returned to the Queen’s side to see how the Princess was doing.


	31. Crisis

Once the physician arrived and checked on the Princess, he quickly treated her sprained ankle and other injuries.

“It would be best for Your Highness to stay put and rest. Also elevate your ankle above the level of your heart — it’s important to do this especially at night. This will help reduce swelling,” the physician advised. “I will also give you some medicine so the pain won’t be so unbearable.”

As a result, the Princess had to stay the night. All the servants rushed to attend her, scared that the King might penalize all of them for not properly looking after the Princess.

The Queen also took care of her, but as soon as Jiwon and pretty much all the other handmaidens and servants had fallen asleep that night, it was the perfect time for the Queen and her lover to be reunited in private, away from prying eyes. It was sort of stressful to have to do this in secret, but it was better than nothing. It would be even more stressful and distressing if they could not even seize this chance to be in each other’s arms.

“How is the Princess doing?” Yifan piped up as they sat on the side of the bed.

“The pain relievers seem to be working well,” she replied. “She just needs more rest. She’s young; I’m sure she’ll recover quickly.”

“And you?” He asked. “What about _your_ pain?”

She looked down and sighed, but then looked back up at him and smiled wryly. “It seems to vanish whenever I’m with you.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” he replied softly. “But really not so glad to see that _you_ vanished without a word that morning.”

She knew he was referring to the night they spent together and the way she took her leave the following morning. So she explained, “you would have tempted me to stay, and that would’ve been too dangerous.”

“But what we’re doing now, isn’t that dangerous anyway?” He pointed out. “Should we let that stop us though?”

She shook her head and nuzzled up to him. “I don’t want to stop. I don’t want to stop loving you. I don’t want to _unwant_ you.”

“You know, when I woke up that morning and I saw that the spot next to me on the bed was empty, I thought it wasn’t real, that nothing actually happened between us, that it was just a fever dream or something. Like a fantasy that could only ever _feel_ real but could never come true,” he said. “But then, as I got dressed, I noticed something.”

He then took off his robe to expose his neck to her.

“You left a mark. Right here,” he pointed at a spot on his neck, even though the hickey he spoke of had already faded. “And that was how I knew that it happened for real.”

As he further loosened his garments, she licked her lips and stared at his chest, wanting to feel him close again like last time. No, actually, even closer than that. Boldly, she reached out to help him with his clothes. He got the hint and returned the favor, conveniently pulling her in to kiss her. She was even more eager, kissing him like there was no tomorrow. They would never know if they were going to have a ‘next time’. There was only ever ‘tonight’, only ‘here and now’, and they were not going to hesitate to make the most out of what they had. And even then, the long hours of the night still seemed too short for their liking, and morning came too soon.

Once the sun was up, it meant that the servants and maids would be getting out of bed and going about their duties. The couple had to part ways before anybody else was up, and the Queen had secretly returned to the room that had been assigned to her.

Soon enough, her handmaidens entered the room and ran a bath for her. Yunhee attended her as she bathed while Hera went to prepare breakfast.

“Your Majesty?”

“Hmm?”

“Has Your Majesty perhaps...injured yourself?” Yunhee asked hesitantly, trying to examine the reddish, purplish spots on the Queen’s neck. As she inspected them, she frowned in concern. “Are these bruises?”

The Queen smiled mysteriously, understanding that her handmaiden knew almost nothing about sexual activity since she was unmarried and certainly a virgin.

When Yunhee saw that the Queen shook her head, she became even more confused. “Does it...does it hurt?”

“Not at all,” the Queen answered casually. “These aren’t really wounds. When you’re married, you’ll understand.”

“Married…” said Yunhee under her breath, and then gasped lightly. “The King did this?”

The Queen almost snorted dismissively. “I wish he would. But what I cannot get from him, I suppose I'll just have to get from other people, won’t I?”

Yunhee understood that the Queen’s question was not one that required an answer. She kept her mouth shut the whole time afterward, until the Queen had finished her bath, got dressed, and subsequently had her breakfast. She then went about the rest of her day and checked on the Princess, staying by Jiwon’s side the whole time as they awaited the King’s visit in the afternoon. 

As the Queen was accompanied by Hera for the time being, Yunhee stayed behind in her own room. She was all by herself but her messy thoughts prevented her from getting to relax.

It did not take Yunhee too long to put two and two together to figure out that the marks on the Queen’s neck had something to do with Yifan. She was already privy to their affair so it was not the biggest surprise that Her Majesty would take this opportunity to be intimate with Yifan in forbidden ways.

Yunhee shuddered at that thought. She was already mortified that they were having an affair. She was even more disgusted that because of this affair, there were ugly, disgusting marks on the Queen’s body. Those marks stood out, polluting and tainting the Queen’s otherwise unblemished skin. How could the Queen _possibly_ be fine with this? Yunhee was convinced that the Queen was not in her right mind anymore. This must have been because of the influence that the ambassador had on her.

But at the end of the day, what made Yunhee so angry that she was curling her fingers into her palms was not the Queen’s indiscretions, not even the ambassador’s noxious influence on Her Majesty, but the King. The King was to blame for this. If he only loved the Queen back and gave her what she could not get from him, then she would not have had to cheat, right? She would have been a most devoted and loving wife to him, but he did not appreciate what he had. It was all because the King did not cherish her and preferred other concubines’ company to hers. That was why the Queen’s skin had to be stained by these ugly marks. That was why her body became impure and filthy after spending a night sharing a bed with someone that was not her husband. Not once, but twice.

Unable to stand these traumatizing thoughts, Yunhee buried her face into her hands and groaned. She hated what the Queen was doing and yet she had to keep this secret for Her Majesty. It was a huge burden on Yunhee and it violated her morals completely. She wished she knew how to cope with this, but tragically there was no one she could lean on.

Even after Princess Jiwon had recovered and was able to return to her own residence, Yunhee could not stop herself from thinking about the Queen’s infidelity and its potential repercussions. But the more she thought about it, the more distraught and traumatized she became. Her stress levels had reached unprecedented heights, and just thinking about how stressed and anxious she was was making her even more stressed and even more anxious. It became a vicious cycle that she was desperate to escape, but there was no way out.

It was not unreasonable for her to be extremely worried and scared that someone would eventually find out about the affair. Should that happen, the Queen would for sure be executed, and the rest of her household would not be spared either. Yunhee did not stand a chance. Fearing for her life, she could hardly fall asleep at night, and even if she could get some sleep, her nightmares had absolutely no mercy on her.

And so, she decided that she _had_ to do something about it. Just about anything would be better than having to suffer like this.

After due deliberation and myriad debates with herself, she concluded that perhaps it would be better for her to serve someone who was in the King’s favor, not someone that the King barely cared about. Previously he had gone to the Queen’s residence for dinner and stayed the night, but after that the couple had not even seen or talked to each other.

By comparison, the King doted on Concubine Lim. Would it not be better to side with her instead? Yunhee could even learn from Concubine Lim about how to have the man of her choice wrapped around her little finger. It sounded like a good idea, but unfortunately that would not work for Yunhee either — how could she possibly request to be transferred to Concubine Lim’s household without raising suspicion and being considered a traitor?

As she ruminated on this crisis, she realized that it would not be feasible for her to attach herself to another woman in the King’s harem instead. So who else could she possibly turn to?

She sighed to herself. All of this was the King’s fault. The only time she did not dislike him was when she found out about the favor that he had granted to Lord Baekhyun. If she got to marry Baekhyun, then she would not have to be part of the Queen’s household anymore and then she would not be implicated in the Queen’s treachery. Even if the King were to ever find out about what the Queen did, he was unlikely to execute his best friend’s wife or penalize her _too_ heavily. Baekhyun was no doubt her best bet, the strongest protection net she could find. But His Lordship was away on an important mission and Yunhee had no idea when he was going to come back to court.

In the end, she had to resign herself to the reality that there was nothing she could do about it. But then she received some life-changing news: Lord Baekhyun had returned to the royal court!

It had been a month since Baekhyun’s departure and now he was back. When he was once again on horseback, entering the palace through the gates, many people were cheering for him. His admirers fought for a spot where they could get a good look at him and also for him to get a good look at them.

Yunhee jumped at the chance to be reunited with Baekhyun, but she did not join the crowds. It would not suffice to just catch a glimpse of him — she needed to have a serious conversation with him, one to one.

Baekhyun was supposed to report to the King right away as he had completed the mission that His Majesty had assigned to him. Yunhee was aware of that, so she intercepted him when he was on his way to the King’s study.

“My lord,” she spoke, and her voice was trembling. “You’re finally back. I’m so glad. I’ve waited so long for your return.”

Baekhyun had never seen Yunhee like this before, voice shaky and face full of worry.

“I’m glad to be back too,” he replied calmly. “Forgive me, but you look pale. Are you feeling unwell?”

She gulped. Her heart was beating _so_ fast, even faster than when he drunkenly kissed her by the pond last time. She had been looking forward to this moment, finally getting to see him and getting to talk with him, but now that it was actually happening, she realized that she did not know what to say to him. Inwardly she admonished herself for not preparing a speech, and now she was wasting his time trying to find the words to say.

The tricky thing was that she wanted to make it clear to him that she urgently, desperately needed him to marry her as soon as possible. But she also had to express these sentiments without giving away the slightest clue that her desperation was thanks to the affair between the Queen and the ambassador. After all, she had no idea that Baekhyun already knew about it, and ironically through her.

“I-I just wanted to talk to you,” she squeaked, unable to come up with anything else.

“Ah, can this wait? The King is expecting me—”

“No,” she cut in nervously. It was very rude of her to do so, and if any maid dared interrupt an aristocrat, she would surely be beaten or otherwise penalized for it. But she was too tense to care about being polite, and no one was around anyway. “I cannot wait a moment longer.”

“What is it?” He asked, still sounding so calm and gentle and not at all impatient. _She_ was the only one who was impatient and rushing herself to say what she could not say. Instead, she just took heavy breaths as she panicked, and eventually fell to her knees.

“Are you alright?” He rushed to her side in concern, trying to help her up but instead she grabbed him by his sleeve and gave it a forceful tug. She pulled him down so abruptly that he had no choice but to crouch to her level and look her in the eye. He was taken aback by how aggressive she could be when she was normally clumsy and timid. What could possibly compel her to behave this way?

“Listen to me, please…don’t leave me...” she begged, but she was panting and sweating and it was difficult for him to make out what else she was trying to say.

“Shall I escort you back to the Queen’s residence?” He offered, but she once again turned him down. She was still clutching his sleeves tightly, refusing to let him go. She clung to him as if she were clinging to her will to live, as if she would be nothing without him.

“No, no…” she gasped and panted some more. “I need...need to be...u-under your...p-protection.”

Baekhyun then realized that she was sobbing which meant she was having even more trouble breathing. He was so confused, and her words were not making any sense to him. The only thing he could do was to remain calm because there had to be at least one of them who could stay calm and it was definitely not going to be her.

“Protection…” he uttered. “Protect you, how?”

She was incoherent at this point, just crying and whimpering in pain. The best he could do was read her lips — her very pale lips as her whole body was quivering. He seemed to be able to decipher one word that she was repeating like a litany: ‘marry’.

Before he could seek further clarification, she had passed out. Completely unconscious. Baekhyun’s jaw dropped, but he quickly came to his senses and regained his composure. He summoned a few eunuchs to carry Yunhee back to the Queen’s residence, and instructed them to ask a physician to check on her as well, whereas Baekhyun himself went on to meet up with the King.


	32. Get Thee A Good Husband

Waiting. Hera was waiting. And had been waiting for quite some time for Baekhyun to meet up with her. She was at her patience’s end, worried and wondering if Baekhyun was going to be here at all.

Just as she was about to give up and leave, finally he showed up.

Before she could open her mouth to rebuke and question him, he apologized and explained himself.

“Yunhee was unwell?” Hera frowned. “I guess I’ll have to go and check on her later.”

“Yes, later,” Baekhyun agreed, with emphasis on ‘later’ because now was not the time to be having a discussion about Yunhee.

“I was worried that you weren’t going to be able to meet up with me. I’m actually supposed to get back to the Queen’s residence before dinnertime,” Hera explained, not wanting to sound admonitory since Baekhyun had a legitimate reason for being late and it was not his fault. “How did it go? The talisman I gave you — you kept it with you the whole time, right?”

“Yes! It saved my life,” he gushed. “I almost died there! The rioters were out of their minds.”

She sighed and suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she giggled and said, “we both know you can’t die.”

“Eh, well…” he scratched the nape of his neck and only grinned at her.

“Although you should know that I wouldn’t forgive you if you didn’t make it back safely,” she revealed. “Because I’m waiting for you to come back and marry me.”

Baekhyun’s jaw dropped. Sure he was itching to find out what ‘answer’ and what ‘secret’ she had been talking about, but before he could even ask about it, she had brought it up first.

“You...Hera, you…” he spluttered, feeling chills run down his spine. “Is this for real? Is this actually happening? Or am I just dreaming?”

“I’m serious.” Her tone was soft, but there was no hesitation at all. “I’ve come to see what kind of a person you are. I’ve seen it with my own eyes — you’re kind, patient, protective of me, someone I can rely on. You _do_ use your power and influence wisely. You use it to do good, and you don’t boast about it. There’s a lot you can brag about: your accomplishments, your status, your popularity, and of course your good looks, but you choose to be humble. How can I not love that about you? How can I not love you?”

“Wow…” he was breathless and utterly amazed. “I’ve always been confident that this day would come, that one day you would see me for who I truly am and you’d come to return my affections and accept my proposal; I’ve fantasized, countless times, about how this was going to go. But you outdid my imaginations. And now that it’s happening, honestly I don’t even know how to react. I’m too happy to react.”

She smiled. “I’ve been so jittery today, waiting for you to meet up with me and because I’ve also been spending so much time thinking about how to tell you this.”

“I’ve never been sorrier for anything than that I came late today,” he remarked, with fondness and mirth.

“I think _I’m_ the one who’s late,” she admitted. “It took me so long to come to appreciate you, when all along you’ve got all the qualities that I admire. I hope...you’ll forgive me for that?”

“Of course I will,” he replied lovingly, and then added humorously. “But _only_ because you agreed to be my wife.”

“Well then, I suppose you better tell the King about this. I think His Majesty would be overjoyed,” she commented.

He nodded. “His Majesty would no doubt be beyond pleased. I think I can say the same for my grandmother.”

“You know, I’d love to meet your lady grandmother. And the rest of your family.”

“Of course! I’ll arrange for that. I hope the Queen will allow it, though?” He asked.

“Speaking of Her Majesty, I...I was going to ask you if you would mind to wait a bit before we have our wedding. Perhaps a couple of months. Once we get married, I will be living in your household instead and so the Queen will need someone to take over my post. I want to personally train whoever is going to be filling my shoes to make sure they will be able to look after the Queen’s needs. It’s important for me to see to it that the right person is appointed to take care of Her Majesty, and that takes time too.”

“I understand that Her Majesty is very important to you. Actually, I’m thankful to her too because if it weren’t for her, we might never have had the chance to meet at the royal wedding,” he said. “I can’t wait to be your husband, but I don’t want to rush you. Take all the time you need to make the necessary arrangements with the Queen and the rest of the staff at her household. And when you’re ready, we will have our wedding.”

She grinned, happy to hear that he was alright with this. “Remember when I insisted that I will have both love and marriage, not one without the other?”

“I certainly do remember,” he answered blithely. “And now, you shall have both. Nothing makes me happier than to be the one to give both of these to you.”

“And nothing makes _me_ happier than to be the one you give both of these things to,” she replied, but then sighed. “Although...as you know, I’m not the only one who wants to be on the receiving end of your affections. I’m sure you’ve seen for yourself on the way back — half the maids in the palace rushed to the palace gates just to catch a glimpse of you. Quite the celebrity, aren’t you, my lord?” She joked, but there was not much amusement in her tone.

“You don’t have to mind them, though. They’re not the one I love. _You_ are.”

“I don’t doubt that. And it’s not _them_ that I’m concerned about. It’s...it’s Yunhee…”

Baekhyun licked his lips and gulped even though on the whole he still looked rather collected. Technically, he had been manipulating Yunhee and leading her on, but he would not have been able to do it if not for the fact that she _already_ had a crush on him in the first place. She had already fallen for him; he just made her fall even harder. That was the way he perceived it, all along. But now that he and Hera were going to get married, surely Yunhee would not be happy about that. Imagine having to see your coworker marry someone you had feelings for.

He recalled the last thing Yunhee said to him. Or _tried_ to say to him. ‘Marry’.

He shuddered. Had she fallen _so_ hard for him that she was even indirectly proposing to him? He could not understand why she collapsed; perhaps she really fell ill, but what did she mean when she insisted that she needed to be under his protection? What exactly did she need him to protect her against?

He did feel somewhat responsible for creating the impression that he was romantically interested in her too, flirting with her, pretending to care about her, even kissing her and all that. He had his own motives, but his actions were not without repercussions. She even read the wish he made on the night of the Moon Festival... _ah, crap_ , he thought to himself. _She must’ve gotten the wrong idea and thought that my wish was about marrying her._

This was indeed a tricky situation, and he admitted as much to Hera. But he also added, “but don’t worry about it, alright? Yunhee doesn’t know about us, right? Do you think we’ll be able to hide our relationship from her for the time being?”

“I’m not sure we can keep that a secret. It will be obvious that I’m going to leave the Queen’s household…”

“True…” he uttered. “Hmm, so what if you go ahead and make it known that you’re going to leave Her Majesty’s household, and that you’re going to get married too, but — here’s the catch — pretend you’re marrying someone else? This way Yunhee won’t be alarmed.”

“Someone else? Who?” She asked warily. “Who would agree to be part of our ruse? And the Queen...we shouldn’t lie to the Queen. Nor should we lie to the King!”

“I’ll explain this to the King. You know His Majesty is rooting for us — who else has bent over backwards just to play matchmaker for us?”

“Well, I remember the earring thing.”

“Exactly,” he stated. “His Majesty will understand.”

“Are you sure? This sounds risky, but if you tell me that you’re sure, then I’ll trust you.”

“Yes, Hera.” Again, there was tenderness in his tone but also evident confidence.

“Alright, but what about the Queen?”

“Well, seeing as _you’re_ guarding _her_ secret, I don’t think she’d be too unwilling to cooperate and return the favor, especially since _your_ secret isn’t half as immoral as hers is.”

“I can try, I suppose…” She had reservations, of course, but it was not like she was able to come up with a better option.

“Good. Now, as for the matter of who your fake fiancé will be…” He smirked, rubbing his hands together. “I have just the perfect groom in mind.”

* * *

A week later, the Queen gathered all the servants in her household as she had an important announcement to make. All the maids and eunuchs assembled in an orderly manner, wondering this was all about. Hera was the only one who was standing next to the Queen, and the two of them were facing the rest of the staff.

The Queen glanced at Hera with a mysterious yet supportive smile, and then began. “For many years, Hera has been a most loyal and caring handmaiden to me. You have all seen her hard work and laudable commitment for yourselves. But her service in my household will be coming to an end soon.”

The servants gasped in shock, and Yunhee was no exception. It did not look like Hera was getting fired, so what was going on? They all wanted to know why, but knew their place and did not dare question the Queen. To their relief, she explained, “I am happy to announce that Hera will be getting married.”

They gasped again, this time in delight. They all had the same question in mind: who was Hera getting married too? Eagerly, they waited for the Queen to carry on.

“Very soon, Hera will not be my personal attendant anymore — instead, she will be my sister-in-law,” said the Queen. “When my brother, the General, came back from the war with Khitan, he told me that he was eager to settle down, get married and start his own family. He asked me to arrange a suitable marriage for him, specifically a wife who can take good care of him. So I thought, why not choose someone who’s already used to looking after me?”

Yunhee let out a breath in relief. Rather than feeling offended that she was not considered to be the best candidate for the General’s wife, she was relieved that it meant she still stood a chance with Baekhyun. After all, if she were to get married to General Hwangbo, it meant that she would still be someone closely linked to the Queen, and that still would not provide her with a safety net should the King ever find out about the Queen’s adultery.

“The King has been informed of this arrangement, and His Majesty is also very pleased about it,” the Queen continued. “So from now on, I will need someone to be trained to take over Hera’s post as my personal attendant. I will leave this task to Hera to oversee, and Yunhee will also assist with this. I hope that all of you can be happy for Hera as well.”

Afterward, they all went up to Hera to congratulate her. But there was one person in the palace who was not so happy about this.

“How dare you?!” Jisoo questioned as she glowered fiercely at her friend. “Don’t you know that Lord Baekhyun _likes_ you? Like, a lot? And I thought the feeling was mutual between the two of you! Isn’t that why you wanted to go see him off last month? And now you’re getting married to someone else...I cannot believe this…this is...this is betrayal...”

Hera giggled at her friend’s reaction. This was truly testimony that Jisoo was loyal to Baekhyun.

“And you think this is _funny_?” She huffed and her glare became even more intense when she saw Hera’s reaction. “Look, when I said that you ought to find yourself a husband, I didn’t mean just any husband. To be clear, I have absolutely nothing against General Hwangbo, so don’t get me wrong. I’m sure he’s a good man but he’s just not the one for you!”

“Then who do you suggest would be the right one for me?” Hera asked impishly.

“Lord Baekhyun, of course!” Jisoo answered vehemently. “How could you not—”

“Did someone just say my name?” Baekhyun revealed himself and strode toward the ladies, a smug smirk upon his face as he winked at his real fiancée.

“My lord,” said Jisoo right away. She bowed and was about to explain herself, but Baekhyun signaled that there was no need for her to do so. Instead, it was the engaged couple who gave Jisoo an explanation. It was what she deserved, for her loyalty to both of them.

The couple watched as Jisoo’s reaction underwent a 180-degree transformation. The frown on her face was gone and instead she was grinning from ear to ear. She vowed to keep their secret, of course, and congratulated them effusively. Afterward, she bowed again and politely excused herself. She was happy to give the couple some privacy and would also rather avoid being their third-wheel.

“I’m so glad it worked,” said Hera, smiling at Baekhyun. “I saw Yunhee’s reaction just now and she bought it. Didn’t suspect a thing. I do kind of feel bad about having to lie to her about all of this but I guess...it’s the lesser of two evils? I don’t know. Either way, I think she’s going to be heartbroken.”

“It’s done now. There’s no turning back,” he stated. “And other people are entitled to react howsoever they want; we can’t be held accountable for that and we’ll never be able to accomplish anything if we constantly have to be concerned about how others will react. This is _our_ marriage, _our_ love, _our_ relationship, and _you_ are my priority. Not Yunhee and not anyone else. I will protect what’s ours, no matter the cost — everyone else will simply have to deal with it.”

She nodded in agreement. “You still haven’t told me though, how did you manage to talk General Hwangbo into it?”

“I’d be happy to tell you, but it’s rather complicated. You aren’t in a hurry to get anything done for the Queen, are you?” He asked.

“I do have to help make copies of the materials that Princess Jiwon will take with her if and when she has to travel to the Chinese court,” she answered. “So I’m headed to the library but you’re welcome to join.”

“Alright, let’s find a quieter spot when we get there and I’ll tell you all about it.”


	33. \^o^/

Once Baekhyun and Hera arrived at the library, they were greeted by the servants who worked there. Instead of being too interested in what the Queen’s handmaiden and the King’s best friend were here to do, these servants worked even more assiduously to make it seem like they were not idling.

Hera settled down in a small room that was farthest away from the entrance, to reduce the chance that she would be disturbed. Baekhyun on the other hand pretended to look around for a while, picking up other reading materials and flicking through them to create the impression that he was not here to spend time with Hera. After all, it was not like they were engaged to marry, so what could they possibly have to talk about?

Baekhyun put on a show for a while before discreetly joining his betrothed, sitting down with her. They needed as much privacy as they could get, especially since they had important things to discuss.

Baekhyun noticed that Hera had a puckish smirk on her face, which was rare. “Is my lady perchance up to something?” He asked curiously.

“You know, I would actually much rather spend my time chatting with you than making copies of these,” she admitted, pointing at the scrolls, parchments, and other stationery items that she had placed onto the workbench. “You wouldn’t have any objections if I...speed it up somehow, would you?”

He understood what she was getting at, and winked at her. “That’s fine by me.”

She grinned and then uttered something under her breath, a few sentences only but Baekhyun could not decipher any of it. Which was normal, considering she was casting spells and reciting incantations that would make the scrolls copy themselves. Soon enough, they watched as words and lines magically appeared on the parchments.

“That’s amazing,” Baekhyun commented, glancing back and forth between the parchment and Hera. He looked completely amazed, which made Hera chuckle.

“It’s still going to take some time, though I can’t get _too_ much done within a single day. Otherwise it’s going to look suspicious,” she replied. “It’s not like I can tell the Princess that I got help from you — after all, Her Highness has no idea we’re a couple.”

“Right, I should explain what you want to know,” he began. “I actually went to talk to Prince Yifan and asked him for a favor.”

“Oh? What role did His Highness play in all of this?” She asked.

“I reminded him of our previous conversation when we were at the border and he thought he had to go back to China. He very quickly recalled what we discussed last time, and he did not forget that even though the King did nothing to redeem General Hwangbo, _I_ was the one who was willing to indirectly support the Queen by arranging for His Highness to rescue the General. I deliberately brought this up not to show him that I know about what’s going on between him and the Queen, but because I know he values her a lot and so he would be more willing to take my side if I can show him that I am on the Queen’s side and therefore on his side.”

“That’s very clever,” she remarked and grinned at him proudly. “And he agreed?”

“Yes, because he had confidence that I can be considered to be the Queen’s ally. But that’s not all, of course,” he added. “I also offered to him that I would talk the King into agreeing to certain terms in their negotiations about free trade zones. This way, the Prince would be even more willing to cooperate with us.”

“And how exactly did His Highness cooperate?”

“You see, he played a critical role in talking General Hwangbo into playing along. As you know, it was Prince Yifan who saved his life — he really owed it all to the Prince. It’s not difficult to imagine that he would be willing to repay his lifesaver by doing him a small favor, which in turn is something that Prince Yifan is doing as a favor to me, in exchange for some benefits that will make his life easier as an ambassador,” Baekhyun explained. “Sure, we could have just asked the Queen to tell her brother to ‘just do it’ but no doubt the General would be much more willing to do this if his savior was the one who requested it.”

Hera smiled, fully satisfied. “Your mind is really something else. Where does all that intelligence come from?”

Baekhyun wriggled his eyebrows and grinned pompously. “I was born with it,” he joked. “But really, it’s more because I’ve lived for such a long time already.”

“Oh, I thought it might have also been because you read so much and learn so much from it,” she said. “You like poetry right? I do too, and I wish I had more time to read.”

“Well, when you become my lady wife, you’ll definitely get the chance to do that,” he replied blithely, proud and delighted to see just how comfortable with him she had become.

“That sounds lovely! I would really love that. After all, it is through poetry that we get to broaden our horizons, understand the world better and understand the people around us better.”

“Ah, in that case, which poetry collection should I go through if I want to get to know you better?” He asked.

She laughed. “You know, I’m reminded of something Jisoo told me, about love letters,” she revealed. “Have you ever thought about how lovers who don’t know how to read and write can still express their affections to each other? I’ll show you.”

She grabbed a fresh parchment, picked up an inkbrush, and started to draw something. Baekhyun stared at it intently as he tried to decipher what she was drawing.

“What’s this?” He asked after she was done, still confused. All that he could see was this:

\^o^/

“It looks like a very happy person, no? Their arms, their eyes, their mouth…” she pointed at each stroke as she explained. “Hey, why don’t you try posing like this as well?”

Baekhyun thought this was rather silly, but still amusing and if it would make her happy then he would do it of course. So he did it and she threw her head back laughing, which made him laugh too.

“Let me try drawing this too,” he said, and picked up the inkbrush. As he tried to replicate what Hera drew, he rubbed his nose and inadvertently got ink on it, which made Hera giggle.

“I know it isn’t the best but…” he shrugged. “It still looks decent, right?”

“It looks fine,” she said, but was still chortling.

“Is it _that_ funny?” He asked awkwardly.

“The drawing looks fine. It’s just that you...you’ve got ink on your nose,” she revealed.

“What? Where!” He immediately started to rub his nose more aggressively, but it only made things worse. She would not stop laughing at him, so he grabbed the inkbrush deftly and dabbed ink on her nose in revenge.

“Hey! Why’d you do that!” She whined, and it was his turn to snort. She did not rest at that, and then altogether they were play-fighting, and eventually she had to take out her handkerchief so they could clean their faces.

“Is it still there?” She asked with a pout. “If I keep rubbing my chin it’s going to feel numb.”

“Yes, it’s still there. You barely got any of it off,” he answered, a playful smile still on his lips. The more he looked at how flustered she was, the harder it was for him to resist the urge to let out a guffaw at the very least.

She groaned and carried on, but he piped up again. “No, you keep missing the spot. A bit to the left.”

“Here?”

“No, _my_ left, not your left,” he replied. “Actually, you know what? Just let me do it.”

She relented, and handed her handkerchief to him. He made several attempts, but insisted that it just would not come off.

“Hey, tilt your head up a little bit,” he suggested. She did exactly that, but then quickly realized that he was leaning in too much and now their faces were way too close.

His hand stopped moving, and she stayed still too. They were so close. _So_ close. And Baekhyun had always been someone who took _full_ advantage of any opportunity he could get. This opportunity right here was no exception.

Slowly, he inched even closer to her and completely eliminated the distance between their lips. It felt so nice to kiss her out of _love_ , without any ulterior motive. Her lips were pliant, tentatively moving against his. She kissed him back gently, tenderly, softly, evidently inexperienced but there was nothing he did not like about it. His heart was so full, and words could not express just how happy he was, to finally get to bond with her like this. She found it equally enjoyable, somehow wishing she did not have to take so long to accept his marriage proposal, so that she would have been able to get a taste of his lips sooner.

Mindful of the fact that this was her first kiss, he was careful to not overwhelm her. He pulled back slightly, giving her room to breathe and, more importantly, a moment to process this. She became momentarily shy, but nevertheless allowed her mirth to show on her face. Baekhyun smiled too, trying his best to not look too mischievous — her face was fine and there was no ink on her chin, but he used that as an excuse anyway and, as expected, it worked perfectly.

“There,” he said softly, gesturing at her chin. “It looks fine now.”

“Phew.” She took a deep breath, and then added, “alright, your turn.”

“I can’t believe you drew _full_ circles around my eyes…” he uttered as Hera gently dabbed at and rubbed where her inkbrush touched just now.

“Well, I’m trying to clean it up now…” she chuckled. “Alright, there we go. You look fine now.”

“Thanks. Do I look handsome too?”

She giggled again. “Yes, you do. And I mean it.”

“Good,” he replied, looking satisfied. “Ah, it’s just so, so, so nice to be safe in the knowledge that you _do_ actually like me back.”

“We are so blessed to be able to have both love and marriage. Obviously, not everybody can be so lucky. Just look at Princess Jiwon,” she said, shooting a quick glance at the parchments and noticing that an afternoon’s worth of copying was almost done, thanks to her magic.

“Well, concerning the matter of her marriage, nothing is set in stone just yet,” he stated. “But that’s not something we are responsible for, so we don’t have to worry about that. Instead, why don’t tell me how things are going in the Queen’s household? Have you made up your mind about who’s going to get a job promotion and have the honor of taking over your post as one of the Queen’s closest attendants?”

As they carried on chatting and cherished the time that they spent together, outside, the sun was setting. At the same time, in the Queen’s residence, Yunhee sat in her room alone, looking out the window and staring aimlessly into the distance. The sunset reminded her of Baekhyun and their encounter in the woods, but in fact Baekhyun was on her mind all the time anyway. She had yet to be able to find a chance to meet up with him again, and she felt so ashamed of herself just thinking about how it went last time — utter failure and chaos.

Deep down, she was terrified. These days she could barely sleep. No wonder she collapsed. She just wished it would all end, that she would be able to find security in an advantageous marriage. But as the skies outside became dimmer and dimmer, so did any hope she had left.


	34. Priorities

Everyone at the royal court reckoned that the announcement of the betrothal between Hera and General Hwangbo was a big deal. Little did they know that they were about to receive some even bigger news.

“The Queen is pregnant?!” Chanyeol almost exclaimed, his eyes widened and his jaw dropping too.

Originally, no one expected that a pregnancy would be the case. The Queen simply felt unwell and had no appetite all day, so a physician was summoned to check on her. Then it was discovered that she was pregnant, and another physician was then summoned to double check. It was only after that that the King was asked to pay a visit to the Queen’s residence.

“Yes, Majesty,” the most senior physician answered. “Congratulations.”

The Queen had already had some time to process this, so she was considerably more collected whereas the King was utterly amazed to hear this. She looked at him intently and observed his reactions and the changes in his facial expressions. He was not necessarily _overjoyed_ but he was certainly relieved, because it meant that his long-winded advisors would finally quit nagging at and lecturing him.

The King was at a loss for words. After so many years, they finally had the heir they wanted. Although he, like the Queen, also had the fear that this pregnancy might end in a miscarriage like last time, at least a pregnancy was happening at all. For the nation, this was good news. And so Chanyeol decided to not bring up the topic of their miscarried child from years ago. No point in making everybody sad again when there was new hope. All he could bring himself to say was to tell the Queen to take care, and urged all of her servants to look after her with great care. The most experienced physician was entrusted to attend the Queen throughout the pregnancy. The King also added that he would make arrangements for her family and relatives to come see her.

Soon after that, Princess Jiwon also came to visit. She was so excited about it, asking all sorts of questions about pregnancies and babies and raising children. It was only when Hera distracted Her Highness with the reading materials she had been copying that the Queen could have some rest.

She lied down on the bed and prepared to take a nap. She tried to make herself comfortable, but to no avail. She was desperate to get a chance to tell Yifan about this baby, because it could well be _his_ child. But they did not have an excuse to meet. At least not yet.

Yifan heard about the pregnancy, of course, because the entire court knew about it. It became bittersweet for him to think about what he said to her when they first met. She was in tears, triggered by the insensitive words that came out of the young princess’ mouth about her failure to perform her duty as a wife and as a Queen — to bear an heir to the throne. And now, she got what she wanted.

Yifan did wonder, of course, if the baby was his. That was a question that he would never have the answer to, because no one knew. But no matter the baby’s paternity, what was for sure was that it was _the Queen’s_ child. For that and nothing else, Yifan had enough motivation to want the best for this baby, for both mother and child to be healthy and safe.

The news of the pregnancy was not what made Yifan sad — rather, it was because it seemed unlikely that they would be able to meet up. The best he can do for the time being was to pray for the Queen and her child, and so he once again made his way to the temple where they had their first kiss and shared their first night together.

* * *

As the Queen was pregnant, it meant that she was, for the time being, unfit to serve the King in bed. That was just the way the court rules worked. It was not like he was planning to sleep with her anyway; as usual he went to Concubine Lim’s quarters to spend the night there. He was always happy to see her, but perhaps she would not be in the best mood this time.

Just as he had expected, Seojung was more sullen than Chanyeol had ever seen. She obviously had a temper, bold enough to demand that he get out and never come back again. But the moment he _really_ started to make his way out, she quickly lunged at him, hugging him from the back, which made him stop in his tracks.

She said nothing, only sniffling and making sure he heard that. Of course she was just playing pretend — she would have to be a fool to believe he would be sexually exclusive with her when he was _the King_ , the man in the country who had the biggest harem. For the most part he was only interested in sleeping with Seojung ever since she joined his harem, but it was not like he was ‘cheating’ on her with another concubine. No concubine could ever compare to Seojung, in terms of beauty and charms and how good she was in bed. The critical difference was that the Queen had something that other concubines could never have — status as the King’s legitimate wife, coupled with the duty of having to produce an heir to the throne. The King shared this duty too, whether he liked it or not. It was a necessity for him to procreate with the Queen. It did not sound romantic, because love was never part of the equation. The throne just demanded a successor, not for its occupant to be in a loving relationship with his spouse. Chanyeol _had_ to do it.

“I thought you wanted me out of here,” he said softly, turning around to hold Seojung in his arms while playing with her hair. She was still pouting and frowning in displeasure, yet he was all too willing to appease her and reassure her. He could not do without her and he believed he would be crushed if she _truly_ did not want anything to do with him anymore.

“I just don’t want you to cast me aside,” she admitted, sounding as if she were about to cry. She had no intention of letting go of him, but also would not look at him. If her tears must fall then she would not mind just allowing them to soil his robe.

“Oh, my love, my sweet love, why in the world would you think I would _ever_ do that?” He cooed. “How could I ever do without you? I wouldn’t be able to stand it if you were really going to push me away forever.”

“The Queen is pregnant,” she pointed out forlornly. “You have the heir you’ve always wanted now, and you have no need for _me_. You’d only care about the Queen and the unborn baby. What am I going to do then? I have nothing…”

“No, no, I’m not going to do that,” he replied hastily, just wishing to give her all the reassurance she needed. He would do anything just to be able to reaffirm his love for her in a way that she would be receptive to. “I could never bring myself to do that. How can I possibly neglect you when you are the only one I love and care about?”

“You’re just saying all these things to shut me up,” she insisted. “You don’t really mean it. I don’t know what you keep me around for.”

As she had her cheek pressed to his chest, she could feel him exhaling even though he did not audibly sigh. “If that’s what you really believe,” he said. “It would really hurt me.”

“Then what do you want me to do?” She finally looked up at him, and instantly his heart melted. He had never, not even once, been able to resist her. Her eyes were so beautiful; he was absolutely mesmerized.

“I…” he uttered, instantly forgetting the words he was going to say as he was too distracted by her beauty. “Just listen to me. I’m not jesting with you. I did mean what I said, but it won’t matter unless _you_ believe me. My darling love, I’ve never thought of you as anything less than the Queen of my heart. It has always been this way. Sometimes I catch myself thinking...how different our lives would be if we had children. I’d make our eldest son the Crown Prince if I could. But the law does state that the Queen’s eldest son would by default be the Crown Prince. Yes, she’s with child, but so what? It’s one thing to do my duty to my country, another thing to be true to you. It doesn’t change the way I feel about you.”

It was endearing to hear that he wanted to have children with her, but she knew it was never going to happen. She was a monster, at the end of the day, and monsters were sterile.

She cleared her throat and replied, “all the women in your harem are capable of bearing children for you. But I won’t do that, no matter what you say.”

“Why not?” He asked. His eyes were so pleading that she almost felt bad about having to let him down because it was simply not biologically possible for her to conceive.

“I don’t want to,” she stated defiantly. It was her defiant spirit and attitude that made him so smitten with her in the first place, and he was still infatuated with her. But he did want an explanation this time, so he nudged her and asked her to elaborate.

“I don’t want to do something that other unimportant people can also do for you,” she explained stubbornly. “I want to be special to you.”

“You _are_ special to me, I wouldn’t want you to stop being exactly the way you are,” he replied, smiling sweetly at her. “Actually, there’s something special that I want to do with you tonight. I most certainly don’t do this with the Queen or anyone else.”

“Oh? What might that be?” She smirked, her tone starting to sound more and more flirtatious and seductive. “I’m open to trying new things.”

She also began to slowly undo his robe, but he stopped her. She looked up at him in surprise, wondering why he looked as if he had no intention of getting undressed. What else could they possibly do at this hour of the day, if not have sex?

“Not here,” he replied mysteriously, leading her to the door. As they stepped outside, his attendant went up to him and handed a basket and a lamp to the King. The attendant did not follow as the King and his concubine carried on walking till they were outside her residence altogether.

“Where are we going then?” She asked, holding the lamp for him so that she could cling to him with her free hand. He did not reveal any of his plans to her, but just led the way until they reached an astronomical observatory. It was made of stone columns and offered a unique viewing platform overlooking the royal palace, the perfect spot for stargazing as well. Seojung had heard of it before, but never visited as it was usually off limits. It was clear that the place had recently been cleaned and refurbished, which must have been the King’s instructions when he planned to bring her here.

“The view is spectacular,” she commented, taking a good look at all the buildings and towers within the royal palace. As it was late at night, very few inhabitants and servants were walking around, as expected. Mostly it was the guards on patrol but apart from that, everything was relatively still.

“I had the servants prepare some cakes, fruits, and drinks,” Chanyeol explained with a grin, revealing the contents of the basket. “I thought a late night picnic would be fun.”

* * *

Even though the King would love nothing more than to have his fun with Seojung, there were still customs to be followed — as per tradition that had been passed on from one King to the next, when the Queen was pregnant with the heir to the throne, a shaman would be invited to the palace to conduct a series of rituals that was supposed to ward off evil spirits so that the Queen and the baby would be safe. The shaman had to conduct similar rites every week for several weeks, so he and his entourage were expected to be sticking around for quite some time.

Pretty much everyone was happy about the Queen being pregnant, but the Queen’s own handmaiden, Yunhee, was less than happy about it. On the contrary, she was disgusted and angry, yet these sentiments were directed not at the Queen but, rather, at her lover, Yifan. In Yunhee’s point of view, it was already disgusting enough that he led the Queen astray. If not for him, Yunhee believed the Queen would never have been adulterous. And now that he got the Queen knocked up, Yunhee felt as if she could throw up just thinking about how wrong it was.

Indeed, it was impossible to ascertain the paternity of the baby, but Yunhee was aware that the last time the Queen shared a bed with the King happened only because the Queen deliberately lured him in. And she was only motivated to do so because she noticed that her blood days were late, which meant there was a possibility that she was already pregnant at that time. Prior to that, she and the King had not lain with each other for more than two months, as they were not even on talking terms due to their conflict over what to do with General Hwangbo who was in captivity at the time. So if she was already with child back then, and that was why she had not had any more blood days since then, it could only mean that the baby could not possibly have been fathered by the King.

Yunhee shuddered at that thought. She was equally disgusted with Chanyeol, for only caring about his favorite concubine and hardly about his pregnant wife and Queen. These men were such an abomination in Yunhee’s eyes. It made her even more livid to think about how unfair it was that the women would be punished for adultery but men could be as promiscuous as they pleased. It was also men who created these rules, as if they were superior to women. Yunhee had had enough. Why must it always be the women who were at a disadvantage? The King was hardly ever faithful to and exclusive with the Queen, and yet no one ever bat an eye at that, and there was also no need for him to cover up his affairs. He would never have to live in fear of getting punished for his infidelity. Either way he was a powerful man and no one could threaten him. The more Yunhee thought about it, the more furious she became. She was convinced that the Queen and in fact all women were better off without these vile, immoral men. Her hatred for these men, especially men in positions of power, ought to be punished too. But what could she, a woman with no status except through her affiliation with the Queen, do about it?

It was only when the shaman came to the royal palace that Yunhee began to think that perhaps she was not as helpless as she thought.


	35. Identifiers

When Yunhee approached the shaman secretively in the dead of the night, she was covered with a mask and a veil and a cloak, entirely in black so that no one could recognize her.

She asked the shaman if there were any magical or supernatural ways to make someone suffer for their immorality, since this country’s laws did nothing to condemn men’s depravity.

“There is indeed a ritual,” the shaman answered mysteriously. “It will send them to Hell. I trust that’s enough punishment by your standards?”

Yunhee gasped at that. Growing up, she had heard so many myths about Hell and the afterlife. She was not sure if she ought to be frightened at the shaman’s confirmation that Hell was real, or if she should be gleeful that these immoral men would have to face eternal agony in that horrible place.

The shaman went on to explain. “As long as you are willing to pay me generously, I am willing to perform the rite.”

Yunhee gulped as the shaman named his price. She was far from wealthy, but it would be worth it as long as she could rid the Queen of these depraved men and protect her from the sins that she had committed due to these men’s influence.

So she agreed to the shaman’s terms, but still asked warily, “how do I know you won’t rat me out to those I want to curse and punish?”

“I don’t need to know who they are,” he explained. “I don’t need to know their names or have seen their faces. I will just need _identifiers_ from the two vile men you speak of.”

“Identifiers? What do you mean…”

“The easiest and most common way to do it is to use their blood.”

She frowned. “How am I supposed to give you that?”

“There are some close substitutes,” he revealed. “Any substance that comes from their body will do.”

“That sounds awfully gross…” she said under her breath. “But fine, I’ll do it. I can’t stand letting them roam the earth unpunished. There’s no justice, no fairness in that.”

“Your motives do not matter to me,” the shaman replied icily and dismissively. “Bring the identifiers to me when you’ve managed to acquire them. And of course, the payment.”

“Deal,” she uttered curtly.

* * *

Surprisingly, the King visited the Queen again very soon. However, neither the Queen’s nor the baby’s wellbeing were on his mind — he had just had a long day dealing with his pesky advisors who somehow could always find something to complain about. He was in a bad mood and did not want to spread this negative energy to Seojung, so he went to someone else instead and since everyone in the palace so eagerly wanted him to go see the Queen, he did exactly that.

Chanyeol drank and drank and drank, downing several jars of wine and ranting all through the evening. Although the Queen refrained from drinking any alcoholic beverage, she still sat there with the King, serving as the listener it seemed he could really use. It went on for hours until he had passed out, but a full cup of wine was still in his hand. As a result, it was poured and spilled all over his robe, but he was already knocked out.

The only people who were around to attend him were the Queen and her two handmaidens. Court Lady Jeon Taehee, as well as the King’s usual attendants, had been dismissed. So the Queen and her handmaidens, with much effort, managed to clean up the spilled wine and then removed the King’s soiled robe. It was mostly Hera and Yunhee who transferred him to the bed, as the Queen should not be exerting herself trying to help with lifting such a heavy man.

When the King was finally settled, Hera helped the Queen get prepared for bed. Although they could hear the sounds of Yunhee tidying up the table and chairs, little did they know that she was removing the King’s headpieces just now, she had pulled a few hairs out from his scalp. She kept them in a small wooden box and placed it in a locked drawer next to her other valuables. She had to keep it safe — it was going to serve a very important purpose, after all.

* * *

When Chanyeol was sober once again, he easily fell back into his daily routine which did _not_ include visiting the Queen or asking how she was doing. Or even caring about her, in general.

Princess Jiwon, however, was much more concerned with how the Queen was doing. She met up with the Queen often, and also told the Queen about how her day went.

“I wanted to go visit the Chinese ambassador yesterday,” Jiwon revealed. “But he wasn’t in his residence. His servants told me that whenever he’s not busy conferencing with the King and his advisors, His Highness spends most of his free time at the temple.”

“The temple?” The Queen asked, missing Yifan even more as she thought about the place where they started their affair and consummated their relationship. “What brings him there?”

Jiwon shrugged. “You know how, when we pray, sometimes we don’t just read out the words from a prayer book but we copy a section of a prayer book and then we burn them as part of our prayers? The shaman said that if we copy the prayers using ink mixed with our own blood, the gods will be pleased by our devotion and then they will be more likely to bless us or grant our wishes. Like, you prick your finger and then let a few droplets of your blood fall into the inkstone. Then you dip the inkbrush into the mixture and copy from the prayer book as you usually do. I guess that’s why so many more people have been visiting the temple lately. The whole palace is in such a religious mood.”

“Ah…I see...” the Queen replied, nodding slowly. None of it showed on her face, but inwardly she was already thinking about how this was the perfect excuse for her to meet up with Yifan. “Actually, I’ve been thinking about personally going to the temple to pray as well. Of course it helps that the shaman is here to conduct religious ceremonies, but what could be better than personally demonstrating my devotion to the gods? Jiwon-ah, would you like to join me?”

The young Princess merely smiled wryly and shook her head. She gave no further explanation, but the Queen understood anyway as it was a trick question in the first place. The Princess would surely be bored if she had to spend the whole day — consecutive days — doing nothing but praying. And the Queen knew that very well, so when Jiwon gave her the answer she had been expecting, she was pleased to hear it because it meant that she could just go to the temple without anyone tagging along, other than her own handmaidens.

“Yunhee,” said the Queen. “I want you to go to the temple tomorrow, and instruct the monks to prepare for our visit. They don’t have to reserve particularly spacious rooms for us, but I do want our rooms to be on the quieter side of the temple. I’m fine with the old wing as long as the place is clean and tidy anyway. I just don’t want to be disturbed when I’m praying and resting.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Yunhee replied obediently. “When would you like to visit?”

The Queen sighed. “I suppose we’ll have to wait a number of days, unfortunately. My brother will be visiting tomorrow, and then my parents two days after that, and then my cousins — you have the schedule, don’t you? Just take the soonest time slot so I can stay at the temple for at least a couple of nights.”

“Yes, Majesty. I’ll be on my way now.”

* * *

Although Yunhee blamed Yifan _entirely_ for leading the Queen into a gross affair, this time she was happy to overhear from some monks’ conversation that Yifan was in the temple today, occupying a room on the second floor. This was convenient for Yunhee as she was here to do more than just what the Queen had assigned to her.

It took Yunhee only a short while to convey the Queen’s message to the monks. Afterward, she took the stairs up to the second floor. It was not difficult for her to locate the room that Yifan was in — the fragrant smokes produced by the burning incense gave his precise location away.

As expected, Yifan was in the middle of making a copy, glancing back and forth between his own parchment and the prayer book that was open in front of him. Yunhee wondered what, or who, he was praying for anyway. Was it himself? Was it the Queen? Was it his father, the Emperor of China, who was reportedly very ill and on his deathbed already? Either way, to Yunhee it seemed ironic that he would be so religious when he also did such gross, sinful things. The images of the reddish, purplish marks on the Queen’s neck had once again surfaced in Yunhee’s mind. This only further strengthened her resolve to punish Yifan for what he had done to the Queen.

When Yifan looked up, he saw Yunhee at the door and invited her in. Although she was here on her own, she was here on the Queen’s behalf. Yifan took this chance to exchange a few words with Yunhee anyway, just to see how the Queen and the baby were doing.

He noticed that Yunhee also seemed interested in what he was working on, so he explained it to her patiently, thinking she might report this to the Queen so that Her Majesty would have an idea of what he had been up to and how he had been doing lately. Of course, he was unbeknownst to the fact that the Queen had already heard it once from Princess Jiwon. Indeed, the Princess was not misinformed as Yifan also emphasized that he had cut his finger and added a few drops of his blood into the ink. But otherwise it would not have been conspicuous that there was blood in the mixture — it looked just as black anyway.

“In that case, I shall not impose on Your Highness’ time,” said Yunhee deferentially, about to bow and exit the room.

“It’s not a problem, I have to refill some water and ink anyway,” he replied, and took a glance at his guard who was sitting at a corner. It was supposed to be Zitao’s job, but he got bored and had fallen asleep.

“Allow me,” Yunhee offered hastily, without sounding too desperate. She took the inkstone and container with her before Yifan could say no, so instead he just thanked her and waited patiently in the room.

Once Yunhee was out of Yifan’s sight, she got to work. She did not come unprepared; deftly she put his used inkstone into a flat wooden box. It was a slightly larger one than the one that contained a few hairs that she had pulled from Chanyeol’s scalp. Then she hid the box in a purse that she could manage to slide into her sleeve, hiding it from sight. She licked her lips nervously, hoping that his blood would work as the identifier that the shaman asked for, and that all of this was going to go according to plan.

When she returned to the room, she placed a new but identical inkstone onto the desk. Everything else that Yifan needed had been refilled, so he carried on. To her relief, he suspected nothing.

Having acquired these two identifiers, Yunhee was ready to revisit the shaman that very night. Once again, she was veiled, masked, cloaked, and did everything else she could to conceal her identity.

“Very well. I will conduct the ritual when the time is right,” said the shaman mysteriously.

“And when is that?” She asked with a frown.

“When the next eclipse comes along,” he answered. “That means when the sun and the moon align.”

“So how long do I need to wait?”

“A month, approximately.”

“And how do I know the rite is going to work?” She pressed on.

“Oh, believe me, you’ll see drastic changes in the behavior of those men you are seeking to curse,” he revealed.

She nodded, and then handed him a purse that was supposed to contain the payment that they had agreed on.

“Lady, this is just half the price I named,” the shaman pointed out, not at all looking pleased.

“Yes. You’ll get the other half when I see that you’ve done as you said you would. Which, according to you, is after a month, approximately, isn’t that right?” She smirked, even though he would not be able to see it as she had most of her face covered.

He grunted, but accepted the payment anyway. “This is just the price you have to pay to _me_ for performing the rite. There’s another price you have to pay, not to me, but to the supernatural forces that decide whether or not they will allow the ritual to be successful.”

“And how much is that?” She demanded.

“It’s not your money that they’ll be after,” he warned. “I don’t know exactly what they wish to take from you, but it will surely be something that means a lot to you.”

“My _life_ means a lot to me,” she uttered under her breath. _The worst thing that the gods or whatever supernatural spirits can take away from me is my life_ , she thought to herself. _But it’s not like I won’t be executed anyway should the Queen’s secret ever be exposed. It’s either that, or I’d get sent to the torture chamber and die there. I’d rather take my chances with the supernatural._

“Are you sure about this, then?” The shaman asked grimly. “This is your last chance.”

“No regrets,” she replied sharply, gritting her teeth and clenching her jaw. “These men must pay for their immorality."


	36. Yifan

As if it was not sufficiently upsetting that Yifan did not get to see his lover, he soon received some _very_ bad news. Even Zitao looked pale when he delivered the letter into the Prince’s hands.

“You can’t be serious,” said Yifan weakly when Zitao told him the news.

“Just read it and you’ll see,” Zitao replied grimly.

Yifan’s hands were already shaking as he unfolded the letter. Chewing on his lip worriedly, he read what his mother wrote to him, and after that his face became just as pale as Zitao’s. This was way worse than when he learned that his wife had died.

“My father the Emperor…” he uttered dazedly. “No, how could it be…”

“Last time we heard from him, he was already very ill. We knew it was going to happen soon,” said Zitao ruefully.

Yifan sighed. He and his father were never _that_ close, so no tears came to Yifan’s eyes. However, what was even more chilling to think about was that now that the Emperor had passed away, who was going to be the next sovereign? The Crown Prince of course.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Zitao added. “And I’m worried too. But there’s nothing we can do to stop him. We can only try our very best to stay alive against all odds. What else did your lady mother say?”

“Well, we need to return to the imperial court for the funeral,” Yifan reported. “We also have to pledge allegiance to the new Emperor.”

“Well, that’s something to look forward to,” Zitao remarked sardonically. “Does this mean we have to get ready and leave right away?”

Yifan nodded reluctantly. “We’ll have to explain this to the King and then get going.”

* * *

Very soon Chanyeol also learned about the Emperor’s death and subsequently the new Emperor’s ascension to the throne. He gave Yifan his condolences but in general did not have much of a reaction. Inwardly he was rather pleased because according to Chinese laws, the late Emperor’s family had to mourn for 3 consecutive years and would not be allowed to celebrate birthday parties or other joyous occasions. This meant that the betrothal between the new Emperor and Princess Jiwon would have to wait at least 3 years before it could result in a formal wedding, which was a relief to Chanyeol.

The Queen, however, spent her days tearfully. Everyone in the palace was quick to believe that her behavior was just thanks to the mood swings that pregnant women were prone to experience. She and her handmaidens were the only ones — and perhaps Baekhyun as well, even though she was blissfully unaware — who truly understood why she was this way.

Yifan’s absence was devastating to her not just because of the distance between them and the impossibility of getting to meet each other anytime soon. The biggest problem was that they were not allowed to keep in touch through letters because as the ambassador, he was only supposed to be dealing with the King and his advisors, never with Chanyeol’s consorts. At least not directly. So they had no excuse to keep in contact, and that was heartbreaking.

Yifan had no idea when he was going to have the chance to return to the Korean court, if ever. With a new ruler on the throne, there might be changes in foreign policy. Should the new Emperor decide to abandon the ongoing negotiations, there was a chance Yifan might never get to serve as an ambassador again, let alone revisit Chanyeol’s court. Yifan confided in Zitao about this as they travelled back to the imperial court, but at the end of the day, both of them were powerless.

Just as Yifan and Zitao thought that things could not get any worse, the Emperor proved them wrong. Very wrong. As soon as the Prince and his guard were back on Chinese soil, they heard some very disturbing rumors: the new Emperor was cruel, and was seeking to either incarcerate, banish, or execute all of his half-brothers, uncles, cousins, and nephews. No doubt this was because they were all potential threats to his crown and throne, especially since some of them were even more popular with the people than he was.

A few weeks later, Chanyeol received some bad news as well, provided by one of the royal family’s spies.

“Can you believe Prince Yifan is dead?” Chanyeol frowned as he chatted with Baekhyun about the news.

“I’m not happy about this, but I’m not surprised either,” Baekhyun replied. “The new Emperor is not known for his mercy.”

Chanyeol nodded in agreement as he picked up the teacup that Court Lady Jeon Taehee had just refilled. “Not as if the assassination attempt in the woods hadn’t taught us a lesson already. This is why I’m so against having to send my little cousin there. Of course this alliance is valuable and will be beneficial for the kingdom, for Jiwon to be the Empress of such a powerful country. But how would she be able to fend for herself? Sacrificing her and sending her into matrimony with someone as merciless as this new Emperor…” he shook his head. “I’d have to be equally merciless to be able to do something like that.”

The King’s and his best friend’s reactions to the news of Yifan’s death were relatively mild, but that was not at all the case for the Queen, who fainted when she heard the news. Although a whole team of physicians was sent to attend her, she _almost_ had a miscarriage.

In the end, both mother and child were safe, but the Queen was in so much pain — no physician could ever provide enough medicine to help her deal with this amount of pain and distress. Her handmaidens did their best to attend her day and night, but ultimately they could not bring back the dead.

However, Yunhee was secretly pleased to hear that Yifan was dead — it was what he deserved, she believed. The Queen might be sad now, but at least she would no longer be adulterous. Yunhee firmly believed that she was protecting the Queen this way, by paying the shaman to curse Yifan. She could not ascertain if he was dead because of what the shaman promised to do, but it hardly mattered; she got what she signed up for anyway. Now, she was just waiting for the same curse to befall Chanyeol.

Hera, on the other hand, could not stand to see the Queen suffering like this. She also had some magic done behind the Queen’s back, but she made use of it in an utterly different way than what Yunhee did. As she was a witch, she secretly concocted a potion that would serve as a mood stabilizer. She fed it to the Queen regularly so that it would help her regulate her emotions and in turn keep the unborn baby in a healthier state as well.

Part of the reason why the Queen was trapped in this low mood was because there was no one she could talk to about her pain. Sure her handmaidens knew about the affair and also understood why she was constantly crying, but this was scandalous _and_ against the law, definitely not something she could openly _talk_ about.

Because of this, Hera felt more grateful than ever that at least she had a confidant, none other than her own fiancé, Baekhyun. It also happened that he was a monster and therefore familiar with the supernatural, so on more levels than one, he was the perfect person for her to confide in.

“There’s nothing wrong with what you did for the Queen,” said Baekhyun in reassurance as the couple talked about the concoction that Hera was feeding to the Queen without Her Majesty’s knowledge or consent. “It would have been even worse for both the Queen and her baby if you hadn’t done it. She almost lost her child — if she were to miscarry again, it would completely devastate her. Her health is already so fragile, and there’s always been immense pressure on her. We both know the King, her clan, and in fact the whole country is expecting her to bear and deliver an heir to the throne. This is way too stressful already. We must absolutely not allow anything to add to her pain. If anything, what you did would help alleviate her pain. And it doesn’t do harm to anyone else, so I wish you wouldn’t feel guilty about doing it.”

Hera nodded, but was still worried. “I actually did something else behind her back,” she revealed somewhat remorsefully, and also nervously. “It’s like you said — what if she miscarries again? Actually, she was supposed to miscarry.”

Baekhyun felt chills run down his spine. Having lived for so long, hardly anything could really faze or frighten him. But here he was, asking rather timidly, “what do you mean?”

“When she heard the news of Prince Yifan’s death...it had such an effect on her and she…” Hera gulped. “I’m no medical expert; I think the physicians called it amniotic fluid or something. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that the fluid leakage...it just reminded me of her first miscarriage and I...I panicked so I...I channeled my magic to...ugh, it’s complicated and I don’t know how to explain it to you but I used my magic to help her keep the baby. But that’s not all.” She took several deep breaths before continuing. “It’s kind of gross; I don’t know if you want to hear this…”

“It’s fine. You can tell me everything,” Baekhyun added, squeezing Hera’s hand as he noticed that she was trembling. Although she was not the one dealing with the loss of a loved one, or having to carry a child, these days she must have been so stressed out as well. “I’ve probably seen worse, so go ahead.”

She licked her lips and went on. “Her clothes were soiled, so when I handled her laundry, I took those fluids and I used them as the baby’s identifier.”

“Identifier?”

“You know, like, when we do magic that involves other people, other creatures, or whatever, we tend to use their blood. But in case we don’t have access to their blood, other substances that are unique to them will also do. Like the fluids I mentioned just now, or their tears, or their hair...you get the idea.”

“Alright, so you did more magic on it?”

“Yes, I...took out a map and I used that identifier to track down the locations of the baby’s closest biological relatives,” she explained.

“So in essence, it can function as a paternity test.”

Hera nodded in confirmation. Then her voice dropped down to a whisper. “The baby’s biological father is in China.”

Neither of them said a word for a moment, until Hera piped up once more. “That’s not even the most shocking thing. It means Prince Yifan is not dead. His location is imprecise, but it’s within the Chinese borders. He’s still alive.”

“Then...what about the news of his death? He was faking it?” Baekhyun frowned in suspicion.

“That’s what boggles my mind too. Do you think perhaps he staged his death? It’s not an unreasonable guess. Maybe he went into hiding in order to keep himself safe against the new Emperor who wants him dead anyway.” Hera shrugged, but obviously still remained in a tense and uneasy pose.

“That makes sense, but I suppose we’ll never know,” Baekhyun replied, still holding her hand. “Hera, I know you’re going through a lot right now. But no matter what happens, you have me, alright? I want you to remember that. We’ll always have each other.” He sounded so confident and so firm, which was exactly what she needed. “Hey, it’s like you said, I’m powerful and dangerous, remember? There might be a lot of uncertainty right now, but I won’t let any harm come to us. And on top of that, you’re a witch. Even if not for your supernatural abilities, you’ve still got so much strength and resilience as a person. Your time in the kitchen department as the lowest-ranking maid sure has proven that. You’ve got it in you to overcome whatever hardships may come your way. Believe me, and believe in yourself too.”

“You’re too persuasive,” Hera replied, beginning to smile. “Look at what you’ve done. Now you’ve cheered me up and boosted my confidence. What would I do without you?”

“That’s a hypothetical question you don’t need an answer to.” Baekhyun winked. “You’ll always have me. Don’t ever forget that.”


	37. Partners In Crime

Although Hera felt better after talking to Baekhyun about her discoveries regarding Prince Yifan, very soon she had made yet another unsettling discovery. She met up with Baekhyun as soon as possible, needing to talk about this because it was too much to handle.

“What?!” Baekhyun almost exclaimed once Hera explained things to him. He tried his absolute best to keep his voice down because the last thing he and Hera needed was to draw unnecessary attention. “What do you mean Prince Yifan is nowhere to be found on your map?!”

“I wish I knew what’s going on, but all I know is that one moment I still had my eyes on the blotch that represents his approximate location, and the next, it vanished. Poof! Just, gone! I’m not kidding. There was no prior indication. It just happened so suddenly,” said Hera. “I don’t know what to think. Right now I’m inclined to believe that it’s because someone is using magic to make him vanish.”

“I’m not ruling out that possibility, but what if there’s a simpler explanation? Like, what if he’s just...dead? For real, this time?” Baekhyun suggested. “That’s not impossible either, especially if we’re following our previous conjecture that he staged his death to stay out of danger.”

Hera shook her head. “I’m afraid it isn’t that simple. If he were properly dead, I would at least know where his remains are. It would still show up on my map. But it didn’t. There was nothing. So something supernatural must be at play,” she explained. “Baekhyun, you’ve lived for so many years. I’m sure you’ve crossed paths with other witches or warlocks before. Have you ever seen anything like this?”

Baekhyun chewed on his lip and thought hard for a moment before answering, “not exactly, but...would it be possible that there’s some other magical force interfering with your magic?”

“Like someone else performing magic that’s blocking my ‘signal’?” Hera asked. “For that to happen, they’d have to be in my vicinity. As far as I know, I’m the only witch in this palace. Even if there are other witches or warlocks, they wouldn’t reveal themselves.”

“Right, but there _is_ someone who’s been regularly practicing magic in the palace, just under the disguise of it being a religious ceremony and not illegal witchcraft,” Baekhyun pointed out.

Hera gasped. “The shaman?”

Before Baekhyun could say anything in reply, Hera let out another gasp, which was clearly not because of something he said or did. She even stumbled backward, eyes wide in shock.

“Hera? Are you alright?” He asked worriedly.

“The...there was an energy spike,” she revealed breathily. “I felt it so strongly. Someone is channeling some _very_ strong magic. And they’re close by. I don’t know where exactly, but it’s got to be really near. Probably within the palace walls. It’s...hold on, it’s clearer now. It’s coming from _that_ direction.” She pointed insistently, and Baekhyun took a quick glance.

“That’s it, then. That’s where the shaman and his entourage are staying at,” Baekhyun stated. “You think this has some definite relationship with Prince Yifan’s ‘disappearance’?”

“Only one way to find out,” Hera replied once she had recomposed herself. “And we have to act fast. The shaman and his entourage will be leaving court tomorrow now that their work here in the palace is done. No wonder they’re doing their dirty work now.”

“I agree. So what’s your plan? Tell me how you would like me to cooperate,” Baekhyun offered, already counting himself in and fully prepared to give Hera all the support she needed, in whatever capacity.

“Bold of you to assume I have a plan,” said Hera wryly, nonetheless looking at Baekhyun appreciatively. “I just think it will be better for me to confront the shaman alone.”

“Isn’t it dangerous?”

“Well, I’m trained in martial arts and he’s not the only one who’s capable of using magic,” she replied. “I need you to distract the rest of his entourage so they don’t walk in when I’m trying to figure out what the shaman is up to.”

“Got it.” Baekhyun nodded, looking determined. “When do we begin?”

* * *

To protect her identity, Hera did pretty much the same thing Yunhee did when she approached the shaman. Except Hera was anticipating greater danger, so she opted for clothing that enabled her to move with flexibility. A cloak and a veil would be too fancy, so she just kept her hair and most of her face covered. She was dressed in black to match with the time of the day — the night provided her with the best camouflage.

Baekhyun also did as he was told, ensuring no one — not just the shaman’s entourage but also the guards on patrol or any passersby — was looking so that Hera could safely and conveniently do what she came here to do.

Hera snuck in neither through the main entrance nor through the back door but by putting her martial arts training to good use — she climbed her way up to the rooftop of an adjacent residence, crawled to the edge and then leapt to the rooftop of the shaman’s quarters, and then landed smoothly. Then she had to actually get _inside_ the room that she expected the shaman to be in. Thanks to her silencer spell, the creaking noises that would normally be made when pushing the door open were not heard. Swiftly, she slid inside.

The room was rather spacious, and Hera actually had to make several turns before she found the altar. As expected, the shaman was kneeling there, and in front of him was an array of ingredients such as salt and herbs. These were placed next to a number of tools like knives, needles, and of course candles. Those were just the basics and did not provide Hera with enough information to deduce what ritual the shaman could possibly be working on.

Again, Hera’s silencer spell enabled her to keep making her way toward the shaman without startling him. He remained oblivious even when she was just a few steps behind him. Already she was close enough to get a good look at the sigils that the shaman was painting with his own blood. She gasped in horror — it was a demonic ritual.

For a moment she panicked, but quickly her instincts told her what she needed to do _immediately_ was to _stop_ the ritual. Thinking on her feet, she lunged forward to grab one of the knives laid out in front of the shaman. He was alarmed, but before he could call for help, she had already cut his throat open. He was instantly a coughing mess, gargling blood and gasping for breath. Although the silencer spell continued to come in handy, Hera stared in disbelief at what she had done. She was unable to move a single muscle even though she was not the one who was dying — she was simply too shocked to have a reaction. Soon enough the shaman fell unconscious, but it was such a gruesome sight that Hera had to drop the knife and get out of there, fearing that she might throw up. Her whole body was trembling and she could hardly feel her legs. But somehow it was as if her legs had a mind of their own and moved as quickly as they possibly could so that she could make her escape. She met up with Baekhyun pretty soon, panting and feeling so dizzy she could barely say a word. Baekhyun helped her to a nearby pavilion where she could sit down to catch her breath and regain her composure.

After a few moments, she was finally able to speak coherently. As Baekhyun was holding her the whole time, he definitely knew that she was still shaking and shaken. He did not mean to rush her to explain what she saw, but she insisted upon telling him all about it.

“A demonic ritual,” she revealed, clinging to Baekhyun’s forearm for comfort. “The runes told me all that I need to know. I didn’t even have a conversation with him. I just slit his throat. It was more important to stop the ritual, or else it was going to turn someone into a demon, and I don’t know who the target will be. What if it’s you? No, not you, because you’re a monster so it won’t work on you. But what if it’s me? What if it’s the Queen? What if it’s Jisoo? Whoever the target is, they’re going to be cursed and sent to Hell where they’ll be turned into a demon. I can’t let that happen to someone I care about.”

“Do you suspect that that’s what happened to Prince Yifan?” He asked. “That’s why he disappeared and you weren’t able to track him anymore?”

“That would be a plausible explanation. It would also account for the energy spike. Even though...I still don’t know if the target was him. I have no way of ascertaining it. It could have been anyone else,” she uttered. “There were supposed to be _two_ rituals altogether. This means _two_ targets. Assuming one of them is Prince Yifan, there’s still someone else.”

“I guess we’ll never find out. But what matters is that you’ve stopped the ritual.”

“Well, I stopped the _second_ ritual. The first ritual was the energy spike earlier today, which might be connected to Prince Yifan’s disappearance. I’ll explain this to you in simpler terms: the demonic ritual consists of two steps. Step 1 is to send the target from here on earth to Purgatory, which is just a temporary stop. Step 2 is to send the target from Purgatory to Hell, where demons belong. During Step 1, the target will become untraceable by any magic, so that could be why I wasn’t able to track Prince Yifan anymore. That procedure doesn’t take a lot of magical energy, but Step 2 requires a lot more energy which explains the energy spike earlier today. So the ritual is done. If Prince Yifan was the target, then he’s doomed. He’s already in Hell. There’s no salvation for him. It’s too late to stop it now and there’s nothing I can do about that,” Hera explained. “As for the other target, that’s what the second ritual is for. The second target _should_ be safe since I stopped the ritual just now. It’s just that we don’t know who the target is, and that really bothers me. I just hate that we have so many uncertainties. Actually, we don’t even know if Prince Yifan was _this_ shaman’s target in the first place. There could be another shaman or warlock or witch in China who’s performing this same rite on Prince Yifan. And even _if_ we’re right to say that it’s _this_ shaman who’s responsible for what happened to Prince Yifan, _why_? It’s not like His Highness and the shaman have any bad blood, right? Unless the shaman was instructed or hired by someone to do it…” she shook her head. “And let’s not forget I _killed_ someone tonight. Baekhyun, I don’t know what to do. What if people find out about it and they know _I_ was the one who did it? What if they find out I’m a murderer? My life is over. I’m a _criminal_. It’ll be the death penalty for me. I’m as good as dead now.”

“Hera, no. No, listen to me. Hera, look at me,” he said, sounding both resolute and reassuring. “No one will find out. No one heard you because of your silencer spell. No one saw you because I made sure of it just now. No one will ever know that you’re even a part of it. In fact, you’ve been in your own room in the Queen’s residence the whole time. It’s the dead of the night; what else could you possibly have been doing? Of course you were sleeping. You wouldn’t know anything about the shaman,” he added. “Remember that, alright? And go. Go, now. Go back to the Queen’s quarters. Go to bed, go to sleep, or at least pretend to be asleep. Go, before anyone finds out the shaman is dead and alerts the guards.”

Hera nodded, clutching her chest in an attempt to show her beating heart. “I will,” she replied breathlessly. “I will. But what about you?”

“I will do the same. We never snuck out, you never broke in, and we never met up,” he answered. “I will find a chance to see you as soon as I can. I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to keep this chapter short because there's already a lot of magic going on and I don't want it to be overwhelming. There'll be more drama/angst and magic in the next chapter. If anything is unclear, please drop a comment/message and I’ll ask Hera to clear it up for you. :P


	38. Trauma

The next day, the news of the shaman’s death spread like wildfire. It was interpreted as a sign that the gods rejected the rites that were performed to keep the Queen and the heir safe. It also struck fear in people who lived in the palace because they were afraid the shaman’s death might mean that he was not successful in warding off evil spirits. Luckily, the shaman’s entourage shut down the rumors with the claim that the shaman sacrificed himself to the gods to prove his devotion, and that the gods were pleased with it. Considering this be a passable explanation, the King endorsed this lie as well, just to put people’s fears to rest. The last thing he needed was more turmoil and instability in the realm — after all, they had just lost 50,000 soldiers from the war with Khitan. The country was still supposed to be in recuperation.

And so, the shaman’s entourage departed from court as scheduled, practically fleeing since they were desperate to keep themselves safe lest what befell the shaman happened to them as well. As they claimed it was suicide as part of a religious sacrifice, this meant there was no murderer at large and therefore no investigations were necessary. This only made life easier for Chanyeol, who did not want anyone to make a fuss over this.

On the other hand Baekhyun did as he said he would, seizing the first chance he could get to meet up with Hera who needed his support now more than ever. She had already spared him the goriest details of how the murder had taken place — it was not easy to imagine just how traumatic it was.

The couple had not agreed upon a meeting spot, and it might be improper for Baekhyun to wait right outside the Queen’s residence. Luckily, Baekhyun was quite updated on Hera’s timetable lately — he also had an excellent memory so he had no trouble recalling details that she had previously mentioned.

_“The Queen appears calmer and less tearful these days, thanks to the potion I concocted for her. She tends to be in a rather lethargic mood in the afternoon, but she spends her mornings quite productively. It makes her feel better when she keeps herself busy with activities like knitting or reading. Mostly reading,” Hera reported. “Her Majesty usually takes a nap shortly after lunch, so it’s during that time that I’d go to the library to return the reading materials and fetch some new ones for her.”_

Once Baekhyun finished the daily meeting with the King and the rest of the council, he went to the library and waited for Hera. He had access to hundreds and thousands of scrolls that could keep him entertained as he waited, but there was no way he could focus on the sentences and paragraphs, not when his thoughts were entirely on Hera.

As expected, when she showed up she looked so fatigued that it seemed obvious she did not get a single wink of sleep the night before.

“I kept wondering when I’d get to see you again,” she said without energy. “I didn’t think I’d be the one to keep you waiting.”

“I don’t mind,” he replied, also keeping his voice down. “The maids are still cleaning the corner room we occupied last time. There’s this other room that’s already been cleaned — it doesn’t offer as much privacy, but we can make up for it,” he added, showing her the cover of the book he was holding.

“ _Mythology_?” Hera read the title aloud, still confused as she was running on zero sleep.

Baekhyun nodded. “In case anyone overhears us talking about demons and spells and whatnot.”

Hera sighed in relief. “That’s so clever of you.”

As they settled in the room that Baekhyun mentioned, he asked, “how are you feeling today?”

She shrugged. “I’m too tired to feel anything, really. But I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“I’m listening.”

“I know I’ve said that my potion has been helping the Queen a lot. But I can’t feed it to her too often because she might become reliant on it. And then I’d have to give her heavier doses and I’m not entirely _sure_ what side effects there are. In fact, I think she’s already beginning to need this ‘fix’ in increasingly frequent intervals.”

“So, it’s becoming an addiction?” He asked.

“I want to prevent it from turning into an addiction. Under the effects of the potion, when she’s fine, she’s really fine. But when she’s not, her mood swings get so bad that she cries till she chokes and throws up, and it takes a very long time for her to _stop_. These will easily be overlooked and excused because she’s pregnant, but I know that’s not it. She misses her lover so much and she just desperately wants to be reunited with him, but there’s nothing she can do about it. So I’ve been thinking about other ways to help her, but I need your help in making this work.”

“I’ll do whatever’s in my power,” he said.

“How much do you know about demons? Do they roam the earth?” She asked. “By the way, all of this is assuming we’re right to say that Prince Yifan is _really_ in Hell as a demon now.”

“They technically _can_ , but very seldom by their own volition; it’s only if whoever’s in charge down there allows them to,” he answered.

“If that’s the case, that means there’s a chance that he might come back someday, just that we don’t know when?”

Baekhyun nodded. “But you should also be aware of what makes demons _demons_. The process of how humans are turned into demons can be rather complex, but basically, the demons in charge will do whatever’s necessary to strip the fledgling of every bit of humanity they have, completely destroy their sense of morality, and break all emotional attachments that they might have once had with other humans. So to put it simply, the crucial difference between humans and demons is _humanity_. Which means if and when Prince Yifan does come back as a demon, he will not be the same person that the Queen once knew. He might even be dangerous for her to be around. They’ll also lose all their memories of their life as a human.”

“Alright. But is this process reversible?”

“Well…” Baekhyun thought hard. “I’ve heard about other monsters and even hunters of the supernatural working on it, but there hasn’t been much success.”

“So if they ever figure something out, then there’s still hope, right?” She pressed on, even leaning forward as if she were trying to guide him to give her the kind of response that she was looking for.

“I guess that’s what you want me to say,” he uttered hesitantly. “But it’s really not that simple. All of this is just based on the _possibility_ that Prince Yifan is truly in Hell as a demon, the _possibility_ that someone eventually manages to find a way to reverse the demon protocol, the _possibility_ that he will return to earth at some point — we’ll never know when, because demons are immortal. There are too many uncertainties, Hera. And what are you going to do about the memory loss?”

“There are spells that deal with memory retrieval or restoration. Perhaps not completely, but at least partially and that’s better than nothing,” Hera insisted.

“I never thought you’d be willing to do _so_ much for the Queen,” Baekhyun commented, though without judgement.

“I just hate feeling helpless, and if there’s no hope in life then what are we living for?” She sighed. “This isn’t just about the Queen, I guess. It’s also for me to feel better. To feel like there’s at least _something_ I can do, so that I won’t be so easily shattered by all the suffering and trauma. You might think that all of this is just my wishful thinking, or perhaps I’m going too far just to make the Queen feel better, but please...just think of this as a way for me to heal. Maybe this will help me get over what I saw yesterday...and what I did…”

“I won’t judge you for the way you cope with your pain,” he replied right away, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. “I’m an optimistic person, as you know, but it’s also important to be realistic.”

“So will you support me in this?”

Frankly, Baekhyun was not confident that whatever Hera was planning was going to work. But he did not have the heart to say no to her, and it was not like he could suggest better ways for her to deal with her trauma. So eventually, he nodded. “Even if there’s just a glimmer of hope, I suppose it’s better to make preparations for the _best_ case scenario than to abandon hope completely and not leave any room for it to come true.”

Hera smiled weakly at him. “That means a lot to me already.”

“So, this time, would it be bold of me to assume you _do_ have a plan?” He asked.

“I do have a plan this time. Like you said, demons are immortal, which is probably the one of the few things we know for sure. So if there ever comes a day that Prince Yifan comes back, even if I won’t be around to see that happen —”

“Please don’t say these things,” Baekhyun cut in. “I don’t want to think about it.”

“Let me say it,” she pleaded. “I’m not the immortal one; you are. That’s why you play an integral role in my plan.”

Baekhyun nodded reluctantly and motioned for her to go on.

“As I was saying, if that _does_ happen, I want you to do two things for me. Firstly, find a way to reverse or undo the demon protocol to restore his humanity somehow. Secondly, I would want you to help me ensure that the Queen would still be alive — or at least undead — to be reunited with him.”

Baekhyun frowned warily. “You want to make her immortal?”

“Not exactly. I have a way to keep her undead until Prince Yifan can return, if ever,” she stated. “There is a protection spell that functions like a safety net. I can cast the spell on the Queen and the effect is that after she dies once, she will stay dead but can be revived with the right ritual which will bring her right back to her age when the spell was cast.”

As she waited for him to digest this information, she chewed on her lip nervously, not because of the slim chance that this was going to work but because of what she was _not_ telling Baekhyun: each witch or warlock could only cast one protection spell in their lifetime. Should she choose to do it on the Queen, she would not be able to do it on the Queen’s baby, or on herself, or on anyone else. She knew she had to keep this a secret from Baekhyun because if he knew about it then he would definitely try to stop her or insist that she ought to reserve that spell for herself.

When he was ready, she went on and described the procedures of the rite that would bring the undead Queen back if and when Yifan should ever return. Ideally she would do it herself if she could, but there was no harm in having Baekhyun as an immortal backup.

“Is this too complicated?” She asked. “I can explain further and clear it up if you need me to.”

“It’s a lot to take in,” he remarked. “But it’s fine. I’ll do it for you.”

“I spent the entire night thinking about this. I knew it was impossible for me to fall asleep — my body was trembling and my mind was too active. There was no way I could get any rest. So I devised this whole plan and you might think I’m out of my mind but it somehow detaches me from the trauma and emotional turmoil. It gives me a sense of control, I suppose.”

“I do wish there were other ways to make you feel better,” he admitted. “Simpler ways. But I guess we’ll have to settle for this for the time being. Apart from this, is there anything else you would like to share with me?”

“I think I’ve already overwhelmed you enough. And I’m so drained already — my mind is going blank,” she said glumly as she rubbed her eyes and massaged her temples.

“Let me walk you back to the Queen’s residence then,” he offered.

“Won’t people get the wrong idea?”

“Don’t worry,” he replied. “You’re here in the library because the Queen sent you. I’m here because I can. Since the Queen is not receiving any visitors, please send my regards to the Queen,” he added and winked at her just to drop a hint without meaning to be playful since they were in no mood for that. Instantly she understood the excuses that he had already prepared.

As they walked, they took one of the shorter, more direct routes that led up to the Queen’s residence. On the way, Hera remained rather quiet, but Baekhyun did not question it. No doubt she was just too exhausted, and she had already used up every bit of energy she had just now when explaining things to him.

What was rather unexpected was that, without prior warning, Hera was tearing up. Baekhyun was taken aback. He had never seen her cry before. Not last night when she actually committed _murder_. Not when she was demoted to doing menial work under the kitchen department back then. But here she was, gritting her teeth and fighting back the tears that simply insisted upon falling.

“Hera,” Baekhyun whispered and gulped. How he wished he could hold her and comfort her. But they were in public, at the crossroads between the embroidery department and the laundry department where a lot of maids and eunuchs were bound to pass by.

“I’m fine,” Hera insisted, still tearful and sniffling. But Baekhyun could not bear to see this. In that instant he _truly understood_ what Hera meant when she talked about how much she hated feeling helpless. The feeling was unbearable. Just as Hera would do _anything_ just to avoid feeling powerless, Baekhyun could not help but bring her to a corner and console her till she could calm down. He forced himself to maintain a proper distance from her, reminding himself repeatedly that pretty much the rest of the palace did not know that they were a couple. Even though he knew that his embrace would be so much more effective, he could only use his words to offer as much solace as he possibly could.

* * *

Since the Queen was taking her nap and Hera was at the library, Yunhee performed other duties while the handmaiden who was supposed to be Hera’s stand-in remained right outside the Queen’s bedchamber in case Her Majesty needed anything.

Yunhee paid a visit to the embroidery department as she was supposed to fetch some new clothes made for the Queen. Her Majesty definitely needed looser clothing since her belly would begin to show soon.

All along, Yunhee minded her own business, picking up the outfits that the seamstresses had already prepared and folded. But when Yunhee was on her way out, she caught sight of two familiar figures who seemed to be engaged in conversation. She frowned at the pair and had no trouble recognizing them. One of them was her colleague Hera and the other was Lord Baekhyun, the only man whom she could ever be prevailed upon to marry. This made her stop in her tracks to observe them.

Yunhee was both surprised and confused at the same time. What were they doing here? Hera was holding some books and scrolls, and this was indeed one of the routes that connected the library and the Queen’s residence, so Yunhee was not baffled as to why Hera would be in this part of the palace. But what was Baekhyun doing here? Why was he conversing with Hera? What could he possibly want to do with her?

Propelled by her insuperable curiosity _and_ the dire need to meet with Lord Baekhyun again, Yunhee crept closer but for the most part concealed herself behind the nearest wall. She had her back to one side of the wall while the couple stood on the other side of the wall. She did not really need to _see_ them; there was nothing special to see but she did want to _hear_ what they were talking about.

“Hera, look at me, just look at me, please.” Baekhyun’s voice was so gentle it was easy for anyone to want to keep listening to him talking. Yunhee had a feeling that Baekhyun could maintain this tender tone while giving an edict and it would still be obeyed and carried out.

Yunhee then heard Hera sniffling and taking a few deep breaths. Then it was her turn to speak. “I can hardly focus on anything else. It’s too intense and I can’t get rid of it. It’s like I keep reliving it and reexperiencing it, like it’s happening all over again right in front of me. And I can't make it stop no matter how hard I try.”

Yunhee could not understand what was going on but then Baekhyun continued. “I know it’s tough. I know you wish you could wipe all of it from memory so you don’t have to keep seeing those images again and again. I want to keep you safe from these intrusive memories too. I can’t be with you every single moment of the day, but _this_ can.”

Yunhee did not dare turn around to take a look, for fear that she would be exposed. She could only assume that Baekhyun handed a special object to Hera.

“Didn’t I give this to you last time?” Hera asked. “When you were away from court to settle the uprisings.”

“Yes,” replied Baekhyun. “But right now, you need it more than I do.”

“Baekhyun…”

Yunhee almost gasped when she heard Hera address _Lord_ Baekhyun so informally. This could only mean that the two of them were a lot closer than Yunhee could ever have anticipated.

“I promise, I will keep you safe. I will do everything I can to protect you,” he added.

Yunhee shut her eyes as her heart sank. How she wished that _she_ was the one he was saying these words to.

“Everything will be alright,” Baekhyun went on. “You won’t have to lie and pretend you’re fine. I’m right here.”

“I wish I could spend more time with you, but I can’t stay...”

“You have to return to the Queen’s residence now. I get it,” he said. “But will you think of me, and think of the future we’ll share?” He asked. “When we get married, we’ll be able to spend so much more time together. You won’t have to face all of this alone. I will be with you no matter what.”

Yunhee froze. It was as if her blood circulation and breathing stopped altogether when she heard Baekhyun say those words. ‘ _When we get married_ ’’. The rest did not even register on her. It told her everything she needed to know about the nature of the relationship between Baekhyun and Hera, and it brought back the scary feeling she got last time just before she collapsed right in front of him.

“Can I help you?” One of the eunuchs suddenly came up to Yunhee, which made her jump and snap to attention. She panicked and practically fled, leaving the eunuch speechless and bewildered but she could not bring herself to care about anyone or anything anymore. She needed to focus on _herself_. And nothing in the world could stop her from getting what she wanted.


	39. Poison

Before the shaman came to court in the first place, Yunhee did not know that she could turn to him for help. She thought she was on her own, so back then she did consider a number of alternative ways to punish — killing, cursing, whatsoever — the men she so loathed for their unbridled immorality. One of her options was poisoning, and she was so close to following through with it that she had already acquired some tasteless powdered poison that could be added to drinks. When the shaman agreed to help, she thought she would have no need for the poison anymore, so she just kept it somewhere safe in case she ever needed it. Better to have a secret weapon anyway. And now a new opportunity seemed to have arisen. Now that she found out that Baekhyun was actually a couple with someone else behind her back, especially someone who had been right under her nose the whole time...it was unforgivable. It had been nice, working with Hera, but Yunhee could not possibly allow anything to come between her and Baekhyun. It was not just her dream to marry the man she loved, but also a necessity to marry Baekhyun for other reasons such as the protection that his status and connections could offer her. There was no way she would let him marry anyone other than her.

Hera was not aware that Yunhee found out about her secret. Pursuant to her discussion with Baekhyun on the magic she was planning to cast on the Queen, she performed the protection spell on the Queen, unaware that _she_ herself was the one who needed protection.

Yunhee also pretended to know nothing about Hera’s relationship with Baekhyun. Together the two of them continued to serve the Queen on this fine day. The Queen’s food cravings were becoming erratic, but her handmaidens tried their best to accommodate her needs and new preferences. Hera asked the Queen if she wanted something to drink and initially the Queen said no, but then when Hera made some tea for herself, the Queen piped up.

“Whoa, your tea smells yummy,” said the Queen, who was able to smile and experience joy mostly because she was still unknowingly consuming the potion that Hera had concocted for her.

“Would Your Majesty like a cup?” Hera asked.

“Yes, I’d like to try it,” the Queen answered. “This smells new to me — why have I never had this before?”

“Your Majesty thought it smelled and tasted gross when we first presented it to you some years ago,” Hera reported with a grin as she poured a cup of tea for the Queen. “But recently Your Majesty’s tastes have changed quite a lot. Perhaps you’ll like it this time around.”

“Oh, I might, indeed. Let me try,” the Queen replied. She then took a sip and added, “Ooh, not bad. Go make another pot and see if Yunhee wants any.”

“I’ll do that and also prepare your medicine, Majesty.” Hera bowed and then exited the room.

A few moments later, Yunhee entered the room, having finished folding and tidying the Queen’s clothes. Once she stepped inside, she found the Queen enjoying the tea that was supposed to be for Hera. Instantly, Yunhee’s jaw dropped. She felt chills run down her spine, realizing that her plan had gone very, _very_ wrong.

“Your Majesty?” Yunhee squeaked. She almost could not find her voice. She was too shocked, not at all expecting that the Queen would be the one consuming the tea while Hera was nowhere to be seen.

“Hmm?”

“I...I thought Your M-Majesty didn’t like this t-tea…” she spluttered, eyes wide and staring back and forth between the teapot and the cup in the Queen’s hands.

“I used to hate it, but I think this is going to become my new favorite,” the Queen commented mirthfully. “It smells so fresh and definitely tastes better than the medicine that the physician _insists_ I drink thrice daily.”

The Queen had finished a cup and placed it onto the table. This only made Yunhee more scared. She was rooted to the spot, unable to move a single muscle, only continuing to stare wide-eyed at the cup next to the teapot which was now empty.

“You can have some if you’d like,” the Queen added happily. “I’ve sent Hera to make some more.”

“Your Majesty, this…” Yunhee stammered, hoping to find a way to rectify this but her mind went blank. “This tea is not s-suitable for pregnant w-women…” she lied.

The Queen frowned. “Why not? Was this on the list of foods and drinks that the physician told me to avoid?”

“This...I…” she uttered, but could hardly speak coherently. She knew the poison was strong and took effect very quickly, but if she could make the Queen throw up...

“Yunhee, what’s the matter? Why do you look so pale?” The Queen asked. “Are you feeling unwell? Come on, have a seat.”

Yunhee ignored the Queen’s words and abruptly took the teapot and cup away, out of the Queen’s reach. She grabbed a jar and placed it in front of the Queen. Gulping, she said urgently, “Your Majesty, you need to vomit and get the tea out of your system now.”

“What? But I feel perfectly fine. It’s just tea; it won’t kill me. Why are you overreact—” the Queen stopped in the middle of her sentence. Her breathing became heavier, which for a moment led Yunhee to think that the Queen was going to retch, which was good because then it would mean she still stood a chance and that Yunhee would not have accidentally killed the Queen. But nothing came out of her mouth and instead her hands flew to her tummy and she was grimacing in pain. No longer able to keep her back straight, she groaned and ordered Yunhee to summon a physician. The command did register on Yunhee, but she was too shocked to react to it. At the same time, Hera had reentered the room. The first thing she saw was the Queen trying to stand up but it seemed she rose to her feet too quickly and fell down instead. She cried out in pain and curled up in fetal position. Then the two handmaidens started to notice heavy bleeding. Alarmed, Hera gasped and exclaimed, “oh goodness, what happened?!”

Yunhee was quivering as she replied faintly, “it’s not me. It’s not my fault. I didn’t do anything.” She shook her head, taking several steps back as if she were a frightened prey and Hera was the predator. “It’s not supposed to turn out this way,” she said to herself. “It’s not supposed to be the Queen…”

Hera had no time to figure out what Yunhee was talking about. She ran outside and hurriedly ushered a few other maids inside to attend the Queen. Then she dispatched a eunuch to notify the King of this, while she herself ran to the pharmacy to summon a physician. She was aghast at the sight of _so_ much blood and it reminded her of the murder she had committed just the other day. But right now she had no time to deal with how horrified she was — what was most important was for a physician to come to the rescue.

By the time the physician reached the Queen, she was pronounced dead on the spot. There was no hope for the baby either.

Once the physician confirmed the devastating news, for a moment no one knew how to react. Yunhee was crouching in a corner, pale as a ghost. Hera could not believe her eyes. She approached the Queen anyway, looking for signs of life, checking her breathing, checking her pulse, and even shouting at the physician, demanding an explanation. She _knew_ she had already cast the protection spell on the Queen, but to see that Her Majesty had to suffer like this and die a painful death was extreme anguish to Hera.

Amidst her hysterical yelling and uncontrollable sobbing, the King had arrived, and everybody knelt before His Majesty. The physician seemed to be the only one who was calm enough to report to the King and explain what was going on.

Afterward, the King did not say a single word. He merely stared at the Queen’s lifeless body, with an inscrutable expression on his face. He stood there and stared at her for a good moment, after which he just left without saying anything.

Nobody expected the King to react this way. The only response from His Majesty that made sense was when he commissioned some physicians and Lord Baekhyun to investigate the Queen’s death. The Queen’s servants gave a comprehensive list of what the Queen ate and drank on the day of her death, as well as her other activities and behavior lately. It was very easy for the physicians to find out that there was something wrong with the tea. But the investigations did not end here. Who put the poison there? Where did they get the poison from? What was their motive?

Because the Queen’s two handmaidens were the only ones who had access to the poisoned tea, they were incarcerated in separate cells until the results of the ongoing investigations could prove them either innocent or guilty. While the physicians focused their efforts on the precise cause of death, Baekhyun was the one who personally interrogated the two handmaidens.

Hera told Baekhyun everything she knew, trying to recall every single detail even though she was visibly shaken and was crying throughout his interrogation. Indeed she seldom cried, but she was coping with the death of someone she was very loyal to and cared deeply about. This, in addition to all the supernatural instances going on, was just too much for her.

“You mentioned that you and Yunhee were the only ones with the Queen right before she died?” Baekhyun asked calmly, though not dispassionately.

“Yes, but she was also tidying the Queen’s clothes right before that…” Hera answered with a shaky voice. “Baekhyun, _I_ was the one who made the tea. The King and the physicians will pin me as the prime suspect. What should I do? Am I doomed? Will you help me? Please, you know I’m innocent. You’ve got to believe me. Please.”

“I believe you,” Baekhyun stated firmly. “I know you. The last thing you’d do is to let any harm come to the Queen. I get that you’re in a lot of pain right now. But I need you to hang in there while I gather all the evidence to prove your innocence. I _promise_ you, I will make sure you exit this cell unharmed. I will keep you safe at all costs. Trust me; I will.”

Hera nodded, wincing as more tears spilled from her eyes. “You’ve got to find out who was behind this. I will never forgive whoever did this to her.”

“They will pay for their crime,” Baekhyun replied resolutely. “Hera, I’ll get you out of here as soon as I can.”

As soon as Baekhyun wrapped up his interrogation with Hera, it was Yunhee’s turn to be interrogated.

When Baekhyun entered the cell, he was not sure what to expect from Yunhee. One thing was for sure — he did not trust her. He did not have confidence that she would tell him the truth. However, he knew of a very effective way to get what he wanted from her.

Before he could say anything, she had already opened her mouth to speak. She spoke very quickly, even choking on her words as she insisted that she would never have done anything to harm the Queen. Baekhyun was distrustful of her but he still believed as much — he figured she had no motive to poison the Queen, after all. But if Hera was telling the truth — actually, _since_ Hera was telling the truth, it meant Yunhee knew more than she was telling Baekhyun.

Words came out of Yunhee’s mouth like a continuously flowing river. She insisted upon her innocence and simply would not shut up, as if she would receive her death sentence the moment she ran out of words to say. This was not what Baekhyun wanted to hear from her, so he resorted to a more direct way to access Yunhee’s side of the story.

Baekhyun interrupted Yunhee with a kiss. She was immediately silenced, and Baekhyun utilized his superpower fully to delve into Yunhee’s mind. Her thoughts and memories would not lie to him, at least.

Quickly, he gathered numerous pieces of useful information during their liplock. Yunhee had been to the pharmacy so many times over the years, owing to the Queen’s delicate health, that it was inevitable that she would overhear a pharmacist teaching his apprentice about drugs that could function as treatment for certain diseases but could also cause death if mixed with other substances or if someone overdosed on it. During one of her visits to the pharmacy, the pharmacist’s apprentice got distracted by other duties and had neglected to properly store and lock up the herbs and ingredients. This gave Yunhee the opportunity to steal the poison.

Baekhyun also learned about Yunhee’s hatred of Chanyeol and Yifan as well as her deal with the shaman. As he moved his lips against hers, she only became more pliant, which allowed him to discover that she had overheard a part of his conversation with Hera. Baekhyun was disgusted that Yunhee had meant for the poison to kill Hera instead of the Queen — and had to break off the kiss at that point because _he_ felt like he was going to throw up at the thought of having kissed and flirted with someone who was capable of such gross, inhumane acts. The Queen and the unborn baby died in Hera’s place, and if it were not for Hera stopping the shaman, surely Chanyeol would have ended up in Hell as a demon just like what happened to Yifan.

Yunhee remained speechless after the kiss. She could not understand why Baekhyun kissed her out of the blue, even though she could never complain about that. She simply thought that he was supposed to be here to interrogate her. He did not even do that — he just exited the cell. The whole time he was there, Yunhee was the one who did all the talking. Baekhyun did not even make a sound but he had already obtained what he needed.

Baekhyun took a quick trip back to his own residence, quickly locating the box in which he kept the hairpin that Yunhee had given him the first time they kissed. He took the hairpin with him and then quickly made his way to the pharmacy. The physicians were sitting together in a circle, exchanging thoughts about the poison in the tea and the Queen’s miscarriage. They looked very engaged in the discussion, which gave Baekhyun the perfect opportunity to sneak to the other side of the pharmacy where he easily located the drawer that Yunhee stole the poison from, thanks to her accurate memory. The drawer was supposed to be locked; just that the pharmacist’s apprentice left it wide open that day.

“Hey! Who are you?” Someone suddenly asked.

Baekhyun turned around abruptly and found himself face-to-face with a teenage boy, just around Princess Jiwon’s age. He could recognize, from Yunhee’s memory, that the boy was the pharmacist’s careless apprentice. Baekhyun quickly realized that if he reported the truth about the boy’s negligence, the boy would surely be executed. This meant that Yunhee’s selfishness would have led to the death of yet another innocent person, and Baekhyun was not about to let that happen.

As he was facing the boy, he had his back to the drawer. Secretly he took out Yunhee’s hairpin and placed it on the counter, right next to the drawer.

“Ya! Who are you?! What are you doing here?!” The boy questioned. He was short, but his tone was stern. “Don’t you dare try to steal anything! Don’t even think about it! I made sure all the drawers were properly locked this time, so you won’t stand a chance!”

Baekhyun smirked at the boy’s implicit confession of his carelessness. Since the boy was so inquisitive, Baekhyun answered cryptically, “I’m here to save your life.”

“What are you talking about?!” The boy demanded. “You still haven’t answered my question! Who are you?!”

Baekhyun was not at all intimidated. He knew about the boy’s negligence, and the boy did not even know that he knew. Besides, he did not owe the boy any answers.

Baekhyun did not feel the need to answer him, because the physicians were already approaching them. It seemed they had figured out which poison it must have been.

One of the physicians frowned at his apprentice and then said in disapproval, “Do Kyungsoo, what are you doing here? Have you already finished reading the books I gave you on the classification of herbs? Go back to your study and memorize the texts.”

“But I caught this intruder just now!” Kyungsoo insisted, pointing at Baekhyun.

The physician smacked Kyungsoo’s hand harshly. “‘Intruder’? Boy, don’t you know who that is? That’s Lord Byun Baekhyun. You should be bowing, not pointing at His Lordship! So disrespectful.” The physician then turned to look at Baekhyun apologetically. “My lord, I’m deeply sorry for my apprentice’s rudeness.”

“No worries,” Baekhyun replied. “It’s not his fault. I must’ve startled him just now,” he added, then looked at the team of physicians as he announced, “I’ve found some new evidence. Would any of you happen to recognize this hairpin? It seems to belong to a lady but I found it lying here.”

While the physicians confirmed that this discovery matched their hypothesis of the kind of drug that was used as the poison that took the Queen’s life, Kyungsoo looked on and stared at Baekhyun in disbelief.

 _How could he possibly have known about my mistake?_ Kyungsoo thought to himself. _And where did that hairpin come from? Besides, why would he bother to save my life when we’re strangers?_

“Ya! Do Kyungsoo! Didn’t you hear what I said to you? Or do my instructions not mean anything to you anymore? Return to your studies!” The physician demanded sternly, which made Kyungsoo snap to attention. The boy bowed and scurried out of the room. He still had many questions in mind but he did realize that this Lord Byun Baekhyun did indeed save his life. He got to keep his head and that was what mattered.


	40. Let It Burn

With Baekhyun’s discoveries and the physicians’ assistance, it was easy to ascertain that Yunhee was the culprit. As she touched the poison she used, her fingertips got stained and did not come off easily. Once the physicians checked her hands, there was no way she could possibly argue for her innocence.

She was then thrown into a cell in the dungeons, where the sanitary conditions were very poor. But this was only befitting, considering her crimes.

On the other hand, Hera was released and returned to the Queen’s residence to manage the rest of the Queen’s staff as well as make preparations for the Queen’s funeral.

While she awaited her execution, Baekhyun and the physicians reported their findings to the King. The King did not even have to ask about Yunhee’s motive — he was already privy to the secret that Baekhyun and Hera had sought to keep from Yunhee. It was a tragedy that the Queen and the baby got involved by accident.

Once the King was satisfied with their explanations, the physicians were dismissed and were allowed to return to the pharmacy to carry on with the rest of their duties. Baekhyun remained in the room, ready to support his best friend too.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Majesty,” he began. “I understand it’s painful to lose your wife and another child. I’m here if you need someone to talk to.”

Chanyeol nodded, but had yet to say anything in reply. Baekhyun kept his eyes fixed on the King, wondering why it had become difficult to read his best friend’s expressions. Chanyeol was never this unreadable when they were in private — this inscrutability was reserved for when he was dealing with other pesky politicians and scheming snakes, never between the two friends.

“I’m going to make a very important announcement tomorrow, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol revealed when he finally spoke. “I’ve waited a very long time to do this.”

Baekhyun did not think to question what Chanyeol had in mind, since Chanyeol was already going through so much. But when Chanyeol _did_ make his announcement the next day, Baekhyun regretted not asking for details beforehand.

“Your Majesty, are you sure this is wise?” Baekhyun asked when he and the King had lunch together the next day. Baekhyun was frowning in worry but Chanyeol was so laid-back that it was alarming.

“I’m not trying to be _wise_ , Baekhyun,” Chanyeol replied with a shrug. “The thing is, I’m the King and I can do whatever I want.”

Baekhyun chewed on his lip, inwardly ushering himself to think of other ways to dissuade the King from making a very bad decision. “Of course, I understand Your Majesty has that freedom. Although...perhaps this is not the best time for it?”

“I think _now_ is a very good time to make it happen,” Chanyeol insisted. “The Queen is dead and the country needs a new Queen. That new Queen is going to be Seojung. Her coronation will take place as soon as the funeral and related matters are settled, and that’s final.”

Baekhyun stifled the urge to sigh. He was usually able to influence Chanyeol into changing his mind without too much difficulty, but why was he so stubborn this time?

Earlier in the morning, the rest of the council had already voiced their opposition to the King’s decision. It was not the part about crowning the new Queen that the advisors were so against, but the timing. The Queen had only _just_ passed away and the King was so quick to find a replacement, as if she never meant anything to him? As if this matter were as trivial as replacing an old, broken gayageum? This decision would not sit well with the people and would paint him as a heartless King in the people’s eyes.

Seeing as the King could hardly be reasoned with, Baekhyun had to resort to other measures. He decided to pay Seojung a visit — it was time for these two monsters to have a serious conversation.

When he was right outside Seojung’s quarters, already he had spotted half a dozen eunuchs carrying heavy boxes into the residence. It seemed some courtiers were already eager to cozy up to the new Queen, sending expensive gifts and hoping to be in favor with her. Baekhyun was not too surprised — many courtiers tended to say one thing and do another. For the sake of appearing to care about virtue and values, these courtiers could be seen opposing the King’s decision but also privately seek to curry favor with the new Queen.

As soon as a servant notified Seojung that Baekhyun was inviting her to take a walk with him in the gardens, she agreed right away.

“I was going to talk to you about this anyway,” Seojung admitted. “Don’t mind the obsequious courtiers — they can send as many presents as they like. I don’t care. I’ve never cared about these. You know why I got close to Park Chanyeol in the first place. It’s just because of the sex. It doesn’t matter if I remain as a concubine or if I get to become Queen. But _he_ wants me to be his Queen, formally and legally. I won’t turn him down, but the timing…” she sighed. “Now it’s going to make _me_ look like a manipulative, unscrupulous bitch…”

“I’ve tried to talk him out of it just now,” Baekhyun replied. “But he wouldn’t listen. He’s not usually that stubborn; I’m not sure why he’s been behaving like this. Maybe it’s just because of all that’s been going on recently…”

“ _You_ reckon he’s been acting weird as well, right? If he were mourning, I wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised, but he’s _not_ , and for the past few days, he’s just so…” she shook her head in confusion. “He’s not himself lately.”

“What’s happened?” Baekhyun asked.

“You know ever since he met me, he’s been rather...smitten with me, I’d say. Exclusive with me too, and he’s hardly even _seen_ his other concubines in months now. But like I said, over the past few days, he…” she paused to take the time to find the right words to say. “He’s been inviting his other concubines into bed with us.”

For a moment, Baekhyun did not know how to react. He could only blink at her and say, “so...he likes orgies.”

“Yes, it seems…”

“Well…” he cleared his throat. “This is wilder than I thought it’d be, but technically it’s not against the law. And as he said just now, he’s the King and he can do whatever he likes.”

“He sure has been doing whatever he likes. There’s always been a hedonistic side to him and I generally don’t mind catering to that, but these days he’s just subscribing to that mentality so much more strongly than ever,” she pointed out, still looking rather alarmed. “He hasn’t been attending council meetings for the past few days — of course, his advisors think it’s because he’s mourning, but I’ll tell you the truth: he hasn’t been mourning. He was in bed with me the whole time. We’ve had more sex these days than ordinary couples do in a whole month. I’m gonna be honest with you. If I weren’t a monster myself, I wouldn’t have the stamina to keep up with his urges.”

“That’s a rather odd way to deal with the death of his wife and child,” Baekhyun uttered.

“But he was already like this in the few days _before_ the Queen died,” Seojung insisted. “I assure you, it has nothing to do with her death. I don’t know why he’s acting like this. He hardly even gets any sleep at night and yet he seems perfectly fine the next day. And it’s been going on for a number of days, in a row. How does any human survive on just one or two hours of sleep over _consecutive_ days? There’s something very abnormal about it.”

“I see what you mean. That does sound alarming,” he said. “Well, it will be time for his regular health checkup soon — we can discuss this with the physicians and see if it’s a medical problem.”

Seojung nodded, but Baekhyun’s suggestion was unable to put all of her worries to rest. “And if it’s _not_ a medical problem?”

Baekhyun sighed. “Then we do what we do best,” he answered. “We’re monsters. We’ll use whatever ways to gather information, and then we gotta do what we gotta do.”

* * *

Chanyeol’s condition only got worse in the days pursuant to the conversation that Seojung and Baekhyun had. Apart from fulfilling his carnal desires that only got more intense and diverse, there was no way he could possibly make time for state affairs. Instead he spent his time irresponsibly and recklessly on drinking, gambling, and other unhealthy activities. What was scariest about this was that he could do all of that without needing to sleep or eat. Everyone around him, from concubines to courtiers to servants, were alarmed and aghast at his erratic and shameless behavior.

After a while of having more fun than he had ever had his whole life, he finally realized that something was severely wrong with him. He consulted the court physicians, but none of them were able to diagnose him. Baekhyun even invited medics and healers from all over the country to come to court to see what was wrong with the King, yet none of them were able to help. They all reported that the King was in great health, and that there was no need for any medication.

“Seojung, my Queen, you’ve got to help me,” Chanyeol pleaded, not at all feeling like a King. In fact he did not even feel like a human person, and could not understand why he was the way he was. “I’m losing my mind. I don’t know why I’m like this. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t focus on anything. All I know is that I just want to take my clothes off and have sex. Every single moment of the day. I’m serious.” He was almost crying, having scared off everyone around him and also scaring the living daylights out of himself. “What’s happening to me? How come none of the physicians can help me? They have done nothing...”

“Majesty, please,” said Seojung worriedly, putting a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down, but he scooted away from her before she could touch him.

“ _Don’t_ touch me,” he warned, panting and sweating. “I have no self-control. I can’t control my urges. I don’t know what I’m going to do next. It just takes over me and I can’t resist it. This isn’t normal. Who can help me? Do you know who— oh, no, no, wait.” He licked his lips, eyes darting around in both confusion and fear. “Baekhyun. He always knows how to help. He can help me. Where is he? I need to go see him now.”

Chanyeol stood up so abruptly that he knocked a candlestick over, causing the tablecloth to catch fire. Seojung gasped and sought to put it out, but he pushed her out of the way.

“What are you doing?!” She demanded. “You’re going to set the whole house on fire!”

“Let it burn!” He exclaimed. “Fire is good! Fire will cleanse our souls — isn’t that what the shaman said last time? Maybe fire will cure me. Yes, that must be it. Purification is exactly what I need.”

He picked up the candlestick, opened his mouth wide, and stuck the flame right between his teeth as if he were trying to swallow the flame.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!” Seojung screamed, feeling as if she was about to lose her mind too. She reached for the candlestick and tried to knock it out of his hand but to no avail. She stared up at him in horror, but what was even more terrifying was that Chanyeol did not get burned at all.

Both of them were taken aback, but Chanyeol so desperately wanted to use fire to cleanse and cure himself that he did it again, setting his hair on fire. But once again the fire did nothing to him, sweeping across his hair just like a gentle petal.

Chanyeol stared at the candlestick in disappointment. “Why is it not working...why isn’t it burning me...no, it isn’t enough.” He shook his head. “There needs to be more fire, more of it…”

Seojung ran out of there while she still could, crying for help. Guards and eunuchs came running with buckets of water, but Chanyeol marched out of the house completely unscathed. He was able to produce two sizable balls of flame in his hands at will while he himself remained fireproof. He continued to run around setting fire to the backyard, the gardens, the walls, sparing nothing and nobody. Seeing as he had gone insane, Seojung fled — she was a monster with her own superpowers, but she was not invulnerable to fire. She kept running till she reached Baekhyun’s residence; he was the only one who knew enough about the supernatural to help. Until then, she did not dare look back, but once she did, she could see flames and smoke from a number of buildings. Chanyeol was _truly_ out of control, and Seojung had never been more scared.

“I’ve never seen any creature like that,” said Baekhyun, also frightened. “We can’t stop him without getting burned. He can’t be subdued. We need to get everyone out of the palace, now.”


	41. All I Do Is Wait

Baekhyun and Seojung split up and went in opposite directions, alerting and rescuing as many people as they possibly could. Baekhyun ran full speed ahead to the Queen’s residence that Hera was still occupying. He explained things to her as succinctly as he could, and then they fled to the stables together, continuing their escape on horseback.

“Wait!” Hera called out even though they were already halfway into the woods. “What about all the other people in the palace? What about Jisoo? What about—”

“I have a network of informants. They’ll look out for one another,” Baekhyun replied hastily. “Don’t worry about them. We have to keep going.”

As their horses kept galloping, Hera’s heart was also racing. Her mind was a mess but somehow, gradually she was beginning to piece things together as she attempted to find an explanation for Chanyeol’s dangerous and destructive behavior.

“Baekhyun, wait,” she pleaded, slowing to a pause. “I think this has something to do with the demonic ritual,” she announced.

“But I thought you stopped it,” Baekhyun replied, worried and befuddled.

“That’s what we _thought_ ,” she pointed out. “If the shaman managed to complete the rite, the target would’ve been turned into a demon as expected. But I just _disrupted_ the rite — it was half done, so the target might’ve turned into a creature that was neither human nor demon. You said Yunhee paid the shaman to target Prince Yifan and the King, right? So the King is also supposed to be cursed to become a demon, so why isn’t he? Why didn’t he vanish, why wasn’t he sent to Purgatory and subsequently Hell? Why is he still around?” She gulped and shuddered. “I fear my disruption of the rite has created a whole other species that we’ve never seen before.”

Baekhyun’s jaw dropped. “What…” Her suspicions made sense to him, but he was reluctant to believe that they had inadvertently turned this into a bigger, more chaotic mess than they could ever have predicted. It was not inherently Chanyeol’s fault, then, that he was acting this way recently.

“And now, I don’t even know what kind of supernatural creature he is. I haven’t ever heard of any creature that can manipulate fire at will and be fireproof. I wouldn’t know how to control him or so much as subdue him either,” she admitted. “But I’m the one who’s to blame, I’m the one who’s responsible for what’s happened to the King. He’s become an arsonist because _I_ was the one who disrupted the rite. So _I_ also have to be the one to put a stop to it.”

“Hera, don’t...you can’t, it’s too dangerous!” He protested.

“I _must_ go back and figure things out! Thousands of people will die in the fire. I need to find a way to use my magic to stop the fire,” she insisted, hopping off her horse. “I can’t just sit around and watch people die because of something _I’ve_ done!”

“And _I_ can’t just sit around and watch _you_ put yourself in danger! You could die if you go back there!” He exclaimed, also alighting from his horse. He grabbed her shoulders tightly, needing to knock some sense into her. True that he had always been persuasive but this time he felt like he sucked at talking her out of it. “If you _must_ return to the palace, I’m not letting you go alone. I’m coming with you; I swear I’m not letting any harm come to you. I promised to keep you safe and protect you and I won’t let anything or anyone get in the way of that. Not even _you_.”

She shook him off, removing herself from his grasp. “Remember your _other_ promise to me,” she replied. “About the Queen, about bringing her back. About neutralizing Prince Yifan.”

He had no argument against that, although he did wish he could have come up with something to make her change her mind. But nothing came to mind and he could only look on helplessly as she slid something into his palm. He looked down at it and found that it was the talisman.

“I’ll make a promise to you too,” she said solemnly. “I promise I’ll find my way back to you once I settle the fire. Will you wait for me?”

“I...of course, of course I will…” he replied reluctantly.

That was all that she needed to hear from him. She cupped his face and kissed him without hesitation. He was not expecting such intimacy under these circumstances, but clung to her kiss nevertheless. After all, they were not sure when they might get to do it again. She just needed him to know that she loved him.

She pulled away from him while she still could. She could not afford to give him the chance to weaken her resolve. Deftly, she mounted her horse and rode back to the palace. Baekhyun looked on as she did so, gripping the talisman tightly in his hand.

* * *

When Hera made it back to the palace grounds, bodies were everywhere while more people were escaping and getting evacuated. She wasted no time, thinking hard and searching for a spell that might keep the situation under control at least for a little while. But the palace was a _huge_ place, and it made her feel so small and weak.

She kept running, trying to get as many people out as possible. Once she saw a few more figures in front of one of the burning residences, she sprinted toward them, desperate to help them get out of here. But once she got a closer look, she was alarmed and paused in her tracks. Those figures did not seem to be afraid of the fire. In fact, it did not even look as if they were trying to get away from the house that was on fire. They seemed to be clinging to a large, cubic contraption — Hera had never seen it before and had no clue what function it could possibly serve. Tentatively, she took a few more steps toward them, and the picture became clearer to her. One of those figures looked so familiar — it was the King!

Hera shuddered. Anyone in the right minds would ditch their belongings and value their lives above their property, but not these figures that surrounded the King who was howling and thrashing around. Either they were out of their minds, or they were simply not human.

One of them took out a long, sharp blade that glowed even brighter than the fire all around them. Hera gasped — those were angel blades. Were these...angels? That was why they were invulnerable to fire, and felt no need to escape?

“No!” Another angel hollered authoritatively at the angel who had a blade in hand. “We’re supposed to subdue and contain him, not kill him! He might be useful to us!”

Reluctantly, that angel put the blade away and carried on helping the other angels subdue the King. Hera stepped even closer and began to make out that the contraption was in fact a cage, and the angels were starting to have some success with forcing the King inside the cage. He put up a fight and struggled a lot, but they won in numbers.

“ _Now_ can we stop the fire?!” The first angel demanded.

“Who cares?! We’re just here to extract this creature,” answered yet another angel.

“So we’ll just leave this place to burn?!” “Come on, we’ve already done what we came here for!” “No, we can’t—” “It’s time to go!” “Why can’t we just—” “All of you, shut up! Let’s get going!”

As they argued and showed no intention of doing anything to help extinguish the fire, Hera ignored them and started to work up a spell that might be able to put out the fire. She would have to work on one building at a time, but it was better than nothing. Although she was coughing and choking already, she still tried to recite the incantations to the best of her ability, and she was beginning to see some effect. It had only a small effect, but at least it gave her the confidence that her spell was working.

As Hera concentrated on her magic, she was not so aware that the angels had ceased in their disagreements and started to notice what she was doing.

“Hey, look at that,” one of the angels piped up and alerted the others. “Isn’t she the witch that’s been around our target a lot? We’ve been monitoring our target for a while now; I recognize this witch.”

Two of the angels began to approach Hera, which alarmed her once they entered her peripheral vision. She pretended to not notice them, continuing to cast her spell as if she could not hear what they were saying.

“Let’s grab her too,” said one of them, under the impression that she could not hear them. “She knows his weaknesses; we can’t let that information fall into the wrong hands. Maybe she can even devise a way to domesticate that creature and turn him into our puppet and weapon.”

Hera then realized the danger she was in, and immediately started running in the opposite direction. She did not bother to look back to gauge their speed, or to see if they were really determined to give chase and capture her — she kept going, trying to get as far away from them as possible, or else she would have to become their pawn. Either that, or they were going to kill her off to prevent her from allying with Heaven’s enemies. She was not going to let them have their way with her. Unlike the shaman, she was not their witch-for-hire. She might even choose death over getting controlled by angels who did not care enough about humanity to deign to put out the fire or put a stop to people’s suffering.

But perhaps these were not her only options. There was a spell that could offer her an alternative — the slumber spell. Quickly weighing her options and realizing that this was her best shot, she started to cast the spell on herself.

* * *

After parting ways with Baekhyun, Seojung was still in the palace, doing her best to evacuate the inhabitants. She went from one end of the walkway to another, guiding people to the nearest exit points. She was aware that some gates were blocked already as structures and buildings kept falling down, so diversions were necessary. As she helped others escape, she caught sight of a familiar figure, and it made her jaw drop.

 _How come Hera was still here in the palace?_ Seojung thought to herself. _Wouldn’t Baekhyun have fled with her already?_

Before Seojung could figure things out, she watched as Hera closed her eyes and fell to the ground. Gasping, Seojung stretched her arms across several meters to catch Hera before she hit the ground.

“Hera?” She asked worriedly. “Hera, are you alright?”

Hera appeared to be unconscious, but Seojung checked that she still had a pulse and was in fact breathing.

“Hey, can you hear me?” Seojung demanded, more emotionally this time. Hera still gave no response, so Seojung huffed and carried her out of the palace to safety.

* * *

“What happened?!” Baekhyun cried out tearfully as Seojung brought Hera to him. He knew he should not have let her return to the palace. And now he was convinced that no amount of regrets would be able to bring her back to him.

“She’s not dead,” Seojung insisted. “She’s just asleep.”

“What do you mean she’s _asleep_?! Who the fuck falls asleep during a fire?!” He exclaimed. “Dammit! She was just supposed to find a way to stop the fire, with her magic or whatever. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She couldn’t possibly have—”

“She practices magic?!” Seojung questioned. “You never told me she’s a witch!”

“I had to protect her identity,” he uttered. “For the same reason I also never told her or anyone else that you’re a monster.”

“Fine,” she replied. “This is easy to explain then. It must’ve been the slumber spell.”

“The _what_ now?”

“You’re not going to like this, but you have to know,” she said. “I crossed paths with some witches a couple centuries ago, and they told me about the slumber spell. It’s a spell that witches and warlocks can only cast on themselves, and no one else. It would put them into slumber for a thousand years.”

“A thousand years?!” Baekhyun exclaimed. “What?! Why?!”

“Yes, because it took a thousand witches to devise this spell together,” Seojung explained grimly. “Hera will be asleep for a thousand years.”

“Why would she want to do that?!”

“I have no clue. But she chose this for herself,” she stated. “You know how witches’ and warlocks’ power can accumulate over the years. So the longer they live, the more powerful they are, and it makes them capable of more advanced magic. I’ve heard of witches who deliberately put themselves into slumber spells just so their power could accumulate for a thousand years, and then when they wake up they’d be almost invincible. I doubt that that’s what Hera was after, but she must’ve had a very good reason for doing this to herself. I just wish I knew what the reason was.”

Baekhyun rubbed his temples as he processed this information. After a moment, he looked up at Seojung and asked, “and what about the King?”

“I wasn’t able to find him. I even checked the dungeons. It was empty except for Yunhee’s cell. She was already dead, and not from the fire. I think it was an infection or some sort of illness — you know the rodents and insects that roam and rule the dungeons,” she answered. “Anyway, I was also trying to evacuate the palace but once I saw Hera, I grabbed her and came to you right away,” she added. “So what will you do with her now?”

“Well, we must preserve her sleeping body, for a thousand years,” he stated. “The only safe place I can think of is Purgatory.”

And so Baekhyun and Seojung took a trip to Purgatory, home to all monsters. Once they were there, they found a safe spot to keep her body unharmed.

Seojung gave Baekhyun a supportive pat. “You’ll get through this,” she said. “We’ve been around for such a long time and we’ve dealt with the loss of so many mortals that meant so much to us. This one, this time, it isn’t even death. She’ll wake up one day, and you can be reunited with her.”

Baekhyun nodded appreciatively, albeit with sadness nevertheless. She then gave him a moment alone with Hera, and he sighed. He took out the talisman and placed it into her hand, curling her fingers into her palm so that the talisman would be safe within her grasp and would in turn also keep her safe.

“Hera,” he began. “You must’ve been through something that impelled you to cast this spell upon yourself. I don’t know what it is, and the thought of having to spend a thousand years without you is just so painful to me. But I know that as long as you’re alive, there will still be hope. And that’s what I’ll live for,” he added. “Perhaps this is your way of keeping your promise to me. I will keep my promises to you just the same. And our engagement is definitely not off,” he stated, a bittersweet smile upon his face. “Once we get married, we’ll get to spend time together doing things that we like. We’ll live a comfortable life, and I’ll finally tell you what ‘flirting’ means.”

He took a deep breath, quivering as he looked up in an attempt to hold his tears back. But it was no use. Tears streamed down his face as he went on.

“I know this isn’t the end, but I wanted to say thank you. For giving me a chance to show you who I really am. For trusting me and letting me be your confidant. For changing your mind about me and loving me. I want you to know that I love you too, and I always will,” he said earnestly. “Like I said, I will wait for you. Even if I have to wait a thousand years for you, I will wait for you.”

With a heavy heart, he left Purgatory and returned to earth. Not all hope was lost, but Baekhyun knew that his long, lonely, immortal life was never going to be the same again.


End file.
